Charles Roberts to Maggie Roberts (25 May 1864)

              Camp [6] miles north of Atlanta, Geo
May 25th 1864"
My darling,
I have been writing to the Doctor this morning and will
enclose a few lines for you. I wrote you day before yesterday but
do not expect this will be any the less welcome. We arrived at our
present camp yesterday evening, after a very dusty and unpleasant march.
The troops are somewhere about Dallas, some twenty miles from
here. No decisive engagement has yet taken place.
We had quite a heavy thunder storm last night and quite a
heavy rain for a time, enough to keep the dust down for a day or two.
I have been thinking this morning how nice the garden would
look, if you have had the same rain in Oxford; and if I was
at home, together we would have visited the garden this morning
and closely inspected its condition. After this war is over, if
I am spared, I [must] certainly have a good garden, for we both
derive so much pleasure from it. On the garden question our tastes
certainly agree and when I come to reflect, I dont think there is 
many things but what we do agree on. I should much like to be with
you darling this morning and enjoy an hour or two in pleasant chat.
Going home spoils me for camp life and I feel more homesick now
than I will three months hence, I believe. The recollections of my
visit are now so fresh on my mind that my thoughts are constantly
returning to it and whilst past pleasures are pleasant to think of,
yet it is with some regret that I am seperated from them
now.
Have you seen Mr Turnbull since I left – If you have not I 
think it would be well to find out what conclusion he has come to.
He would certainly be the best person I can think of to take charge of
the house. Possibly Dr Hilgard would like to take it – Mrs H.
appeared very anxious to go housekeeping and this would be a