Jan 3th / 62     Benton Barracks  St. Louis, Missouri      Dear Mother I now  take the opportunity  of writing a few lines to you  to let you know that I am well  now I sent a likeness to you before  I sent the last letter I do not see  why you did not get it it was  taken in my new uniform I   had a gun in my hand at the  time I was in the hopes that you  would get it for it was a good  picture I thought I have to go  of ----- ---- now I have just  come in from drills parade  and supper we had boiled  beef and beens and beef soup   
        Page 2     bread and coffee That is  what we have about all  the time you wanted to know  what I sent by Margret  Armstrong it was a likeness  I did not send it to you  I sent it to Augustus Newell  the locket I told you about  is a locket that I bought  for 30 sts and my likeness  in it, it is not very  good I do not think I   guess I will not send it  I do not see why you   did not get the likeness  that I sent to you may  be you will get it before  you write again it will   be a New Year   s  present to Mary Aimee if  you get it if you do       Written on side of page 2  I could write a great deal more but have no room I must two more letters to nigh they have commenced to dance all ready I must hurry so as to dance   
        Page 3     not I will get another  after pay day to day is  Friday and I will sent  this in the morning you  will get it I guess  next weak Wedns day in  the morning and while  the mail carryer goes to  Ottawa you can write  and send it if Mary Aimee  comes over to write the  mail comes here every day   only Mondays the mail  that comes in Saturdays  we get Sunday the ---  does not run Sundays so  we get no mail Monday  may be I will get the   Capt likness I will   see write and let me know  if you get that likeness   
        Page 4     Cy Newell had a letter from   a girl she said that she  heard that Cy and I were  poisoned and was both  sick I am well now I have  lost 15 pounds since I left  Camp Douglas but I am  as well as I ever was only  I am a little weak and  poor we boys are all going to  get our likness taken I guess  we are talking of leaving here  they say we will go to Ly  we will get payed off ----  or next weak and then I will   get my likeness and send i  am going to send a picture of  our fair ground I go in to i  every day I am going to write   Helen a letter to night I was on   guard New Years night and   the first of December  John Beach    Written on side and top of page 4    I played sick a while and got off going on guard twice I was on the first of December and the first of the year I stood in the door of a bake shop and had all the bread I could eat they back al the bread in camp.