Miss M. Edie Snider
Fort Martin West Va

Dear Daughter,
I was made to rejoice last evening on account of receiving your welcome letter No. 6, from home. I had been anxiously waiting for a letter from home, and was nigh thinking you had all forgotten me. But the appearance of your hand writing on an envelope dispelled all those thoughts. I was verry glad to hear that you was all well, and had something to do except, Son, cant son occupy some of his time fishing, playing ball etc. An opportunity will be afforded for Son to go to school, to somebody-but I dont want him to go, to one that cant teach him properly. What is matter with your Aunt Sue, she surely must be a little demented. Normal school at Millsboro, pshaw. I would as leave go to Jim town to school. You and Son seem as to regret that you have no home. Have you suffered in any way by not haveing a home, have I not provided for you, how many girls of your neighbourhood, that has homes that gets to go to school as you do, and is cared for as I have cared for you. In provideing and aiming to give you (and Son) a finished education, and yet you complain. Did you, and Son, ever think that it was unpleasant to me, to hear you thus complain. When I fail to do a Fathers duty, then you and son may chide me. This is Sunday morning, and a lovely morning too. It would not seem like Sunday to you, yet we are a little more quiet on Sunday than other days. That Pennsylvania Colonel is ousted from this Brigade. Colonel Carroll of our own Brig-who has been absent sometime returned and is now commanding the Brig. He is No-1 military man. He comes nigh knowing it all-is verry pleasant-affable in his manners- the first West Pointer I have seen that I could say so much for. He is entitled to command this Brig-and I am satisfied with him. A sad accident occurred yesterday close to my tent. The Brigade quartermasters Brother shot himself through the head and died in two minutes-cause not known. He was at one time deranged. It is supposed that he was in one of his spells again-the name is Shallenberger. I am glad Edie that you love to go to school, and feel satisfied at Woodburn. Let nothing enter your mind, but your duties as a student. Be determined to have a first class education-but dont forget that you must labour and study to obtain it. You might go to school forty years and if you did not study you would not be educated at the end of the time. I am proud to believe, that you will do your duty-and that you will not allow anything to divide your attention from your studies.

Hopeing you may all get along pleasantly and happily in my absence, I am as ever affectionately your Father
Jo. Snider
P.S. I was glad to hear from Dada and mama, through your letter-everybody is to busy to write I suppose.