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File: 21Nov65.doc
Path: My Documents \ Word Files \ Felkner
Source: SC2026, Felkner
Locate: Wis. Hist. Society

                                                                        Fort Larned
                                                                        Nov. 21st 1865

My Dear Sis

            The mail came in to day and brought no letter from you.  I was quite disappointed, but there is no way I suppose but to wait another week.  I suppose I felt as you have felt when you got no letter from me for a long time, and yet I have no doubt several are on the way now.  I wonder where our letters pass each other on the road and if they even recognize each other when the mail is sorted and shifted from one bag to the other and mine pursue their journey east ward and yours their long pilgrimage to the west.  I wrote you a long letter last week and it is now on its’ way.  Since then I have been very busy and had no time to write and you can see I have not taken my usual sized sheet of letter paper this time for my letter to you. 

I write this at eleven to night so that it can go in the mail this week for I am going off tomorrow morning on a great buffalo hunt and I knew a short letter would be better than none.  When I get back which will be in three or four days I will give you an account of our hunt.  Our party will consist of eight men well armed and mounted and we expect to make great work amongst the buffaloes.  We are going to have a little paper here.  We have got a small press and some type and it will be printed on large sized letter paper.  We call it the “Plains”.  I have been writing some editorial for it to night.  We shall get out a number in time for the mail next week and I will send you a copy.  It will be a big thing of course. 

The weather is warm and pleasant, just a little frosty nights and bright and sun shiny day times.  I wish we could improve it in marching home.  I dread the march home.  I fear we shall be ordered to Leavenworth when the weather is cold and stormy and in such a case we must suffer terribly.  How I wish I could sleep with you tonight in our neat little bedroom with nice clean sheets on the bed instead of having to turn into my bunk between a pair of villainously gray suspicious looking woolen blankets, coarse and harsh at that.  What a luxury it will be to sleep in a clean bed once more. 

I suppose you and Lilly have gone to bed long before this and are quietly sleeping while I am writing this.  The prairie is on fire to night and presents a most beautiful sight.  All along the northern horizon for fifty miles or more in a vast semi-circle, it is one long line of fire.  It has been burning for several days.  My health is very good.  I have had a bad cold but have quite got over it.  How is you health.   Write me particularly about it.  It is a source of great pleasure to me to know that your   health is good.  I think of you very often and I would give almost anything to see you.   Well if we live the time will soon come around where we shall be ordered home and then we shall soon meet.  Won’t we have a happy meeting.  It was just nine months yesterday since I was mustered into the service.   Henry is well and all the boys from Omro.   Give my regards Mrs. Willcoe and other neighbors.  Write as often as you can.  I found Lill’s photograph and put it with yours.  Please accept this short letter with much love from

                                                Your Charley