philipi Va. Nov the 25^th 1861

 

            Dear Mother                                                                                                  

                                    I take my pencil in hand to inform you that I am well at present and hope these few lines may find you in good health

 

            We started from cheat mountain the 20^th and the roads was so bad that we had to hire our knapsacks hauled and the teams could not keep up with us, so we have to board ourselves and stay at farm houses or starve and freeze We will be two days more getting to the railroad and it will cost me a good deal but it would kill me to lay out in the snow

 

I received 3 papers from uncle John before we started

 

I think we were ordered to covington Ky to wait for further orders but our Colonel says we are going to recruit at least I think we will get furloughs this winter

 

remain Your Affectionate Son G.W. Young

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