Camp G.H. Thomas Ga

May 28

Dear Mother and sister your long looked for letter came last night but i could not expect it much sooner as they are swamped in the P.O department around here. I wrote you a letter a week ago yesterday I suppose you have it by this time A week ago I was going along taking the position of a soldier and stepped on a nail I set down and pulled it out and squeezed all the blood out of it ( it was not rusty) and I had to go to the Dr to get a release from drilling. and he bathed it with something and wrapped it up tight which stopped circulation and of course my foot puffed up a little When he looked at it Tuesday he said there was matter in it so he got his knife to work and cut about 1~ but nothing but pure blood came forth it started to heal again but was puffed a little so Thursday they held a consultation and decided to cut some more which made me pretty mad I told them they were a lot of quacks and was experimenting with me they told me if I said any more they would cut my foot off I said it was a clear case of Mallpractice so they got their heads together and cut a hole through my foot that you could stick your finger through and put a rowl in it there is no cruption whatever in my foot there are quite a few of the boys sick here now they will be walking along and all of a sudden drop over with cramps I think it is from the water. I would not wish for better weather than we are having the first few days we were not used to it but now it is OK the evenings are beautiful but it gets dark almost as soon as the sun goes down. We have had one rainstorm since we came the drops were as large as ~ dollars and The sun shone all through it for about 15 minutes I am credited with having the first pair of crutches on the grounds they are very rustic looking home made. There are all kinds of vermine and reptiles here but the most I have seen are the American greyback Scott Cash killed a terantillon right out side of my tent Wednesday night I saw a large rattlesnake this am and lizards till you cant rest. Yes we got $4.68 from the State of Minn for the 10 days we were in their service and all the rest of the States paid their men $2.00 per day and fed well in the bargain. and when we got down here it was the same from Uncle Sam when Regt from other States were living like lords so we were going to mutanise but it is better the last 2 days but you have to be an acrobat to get it they are like a lot of hogs after swill we are getting parts of our clothing every
day. There is about 9000 out on sham battle today think they intend sending us somewhere soon I heard it rumered Califonia but do not think so Chas Good and Chas St Clair are down with malaria fever as soon as they are able they go back on a thirty days furlow there is 12 Co.s to a regiment with 84 men to a Co a brigade consists of 4 reg we are the 2nd brig with the 1 Div 3 Penn and 2nd Ohio and ourselves. They say that it gets so warm down here that the hens have to lay on ice so not to be hard boiled when laid Thats all I can think of this time

Will

My adress is c/o o. G 14 Minn Inft Lyle P.O. Walker Co Ga

P.S Remember me to all especially Mr & Mrs Burns
Billy

I sent some Photos to Dul by Dr Harris did you get them stamps are at a preimer they cant be bought this is borrowed