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Sep 14th 1862 Camp Siegel near Rolla Mo Dear Mother & Sisters I suppose this is sunday up in Iowa but it dont look much like it here. Hank & Jim & I are sitting on a hill over looking our Camp I wish you could see it the white tents look very pretty each one holds about 23 men. there is three regiments camped here and we have plenty of the best of spring water. When I last wrote to you it was getting dark and we were all getting ready to start from St Louis at 8 o clock and such a rail road ride you never saw we rode in box cars with seats in them some of the regiment rode in open cars and it rained awfully they had not a dry thread on them and that way we rode till eleven oclock at night when we arrived at rolla this present terminus of the Pacific Railroad it is not as large a place as I expected to see but it is quite a a business place though. the rail road was guarded most of the way from St Louis by our troops to keep the secesh from burning Bridges or tearing the track up. we can buy Peaches here at the rate of 2 dozen for 5 cts lots of the boys go out in the country & confiscate all they can carry in their haversacks I wish we could send you a couple of bushels we can get any amount of sassafras root here for tea it is quite thick all through the woods