“Washington, Conn.,
“Dec. 6, 1864.
“My dear Mother:
“It is a very cold day, and we have just come in from out doors. We all have been playing foot ball Which is a very exciting game. However I dont play much for the simple reason, that I am too short winded. A great many of the boys get their shins kicked, but I am very fortunate, for I have never got mine kicked but once and then I kicked it myself, when I meant to have kicked the foot-ball. At all times of the recess you can look about the green and see certain boys hopping about holding one leg up, and crying.
. . . . . .
“This year I study a great many lessons, Latin, Anatomy, Book-keeping, Spelling, & Arithmetic. In Latin, I get along nicely. It seems a great deal easier this term than it ever has yet. In Anatomy I get along perfectly splendid. I know every bone in your body and the latin (or Scientific) names of them all. in book-keeping I get along nicely. In Arithmetic I am in square root and I understand it perfectly. I guess that if Mr. Gunn writes to you, he will say that I get along very well in my studies, and you can tell Father so too.
“I suppose that he thinks that I idle away my time writing letters. to be sure I do write a great many letters, but I don’t write them until all my studies are learned. now this is so. And while a person is away from home he wants to hear from his friends. All the boys write a great many letters.
“Please send me some postage stamps in your letter.
“Here I must stop with love to all.
“I remain your aff. Son Willie.”
“Washington, Conn.,
“Jan. 22, 1865.