From: JOHN W.T. GARDINER

To: His mother Emma Jane Tudor

Date: June 24, 1849

Context: Written from Camp 80 miles N.W. of Fort Snelling.

Dear Mother,

I wrote a few times to father from Fort Gaines, and hoped to have time to have written to you before this, but it has been raining on us with slight intermission for eighteen days and a wet camp 1s a bad place to write in.

We are now lying here waiting for the prairies to dry, as it is nearly impossible to move·over them in their presentcondition. we were 6 days hard at work coming the last thirty five miles.

I had hoped to be at home in September about the latest but the weather has delayed us so much that it probably be October, perhaps even November before I see you. One advantage of my detention is, that it will bring the end of my leave into winter when it wi11 be imposstble for me toreturn to Fort snelling so that I shall be in the East two or three months longer. I intend to make a honest effort toresign but I am afraid that thirteen years of military association will prevent my ever settling down ^{into civil life.} I have heard of numbers of offleers who have resigned but• never of one who did not regret the service.

This trip will in many respects be an interesting one, as it takes us through a country of which little is known, but it will be ahard one in many respects. We take out seventy five days bread,

sugar, and coffee and fifty days meat, after that we shall live on game, fish, and pemmican (dried buffalo meat poundedwith the fat). our great dread is of the mosquitoes of whom we have already had a foretaste, though nothing to what we are told is coming. If you look on Nicollet's map you will find on the westernside of the Mississippi a small stream the Osakis; it makes a sudden turn at some distance from the Mississippi; we are now about ten miles from this turn. We expect to strike Red river some distance from its source and then followdown to the boundary the 49th parallel. Perhaps some of us may run over to visit a British post about sixty miles from theline.

I cannot write again until my return but I do hope you will not write again to Mrs. Head who with her husband areanything but pleasant people. If ever I get my company under half the control she has this doctor I shall consider myself as having achieved wonders.

I cannot speak of home dear Mother as too many sad changes have taken place in my dreams (and you know nothow often I see all those dear to me) dear Emma and come as often as the other dear ones, nor shall I fullyunderstand my loss until I find their places vacant at Oaklands. I feel that I am changed very much since Iwas at home, but I do not realize at all the changes that have taken place at home.

Goodbye dear Mother a fortnight after I reach Fort Snelling I hope to be home.

Your son Tudor