Camp Key,

Farefax County V^a

Sept 8^th 1861

 

Dear Mother and sister

it is with great pleasure that I seat myself this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope those few lines may find you enjoying the same blessing the mailes wer not stoped as was reported I have no news to wrigt things are generaly quiet hear no fighting onley a few skirmishes between ours and the enemies pickets we have had not lost any of our men since I wrote to you last Charley has bein very sick since I wrote to you last he is a great deal better at this time they think he will be able to come back to camp in a few dayes I have not seen him since he was removed to the hospittle 

 

we are kept very close in camp we could not get a permit to go to see our fathers if they wer a dying in too hundred yards of us they did not make ougt to let David go and wate on Charles all the sick that wer sick are on the mend Mr Mosbey that was thrown from his horse is able to come back to camp you recolect that I mentioned in my last that the Doctors thougt it very doubtful whether he would recover or not it proved that he was not injured inwardley as was first thougt to be the case. I am in hopes that they will all be well in a short time We have not received our pay yet the Pay Master has bein hear this week and paid all the Companeys but ours and another the reason we could not get our pay was that there was some thing rong with our pay Roll so I expect we will have to do without till next pay day comes / around whitch will not be very long if it comes when it is dieu it will be the 15^th of this month I want you to get some blue jeanes and get James Hogg to cut me too pare of pants and you make them as son as you can I want braud black stripes down the legs if you can get some black cloth that is what the rest of them has if you have not sent the other things I wrot for you had better keep them till you get all ready I have not heard from you all for some time I want you to wrigt as soon as you can and let me know how you all are I hav nothing more to wrigt at present but remain your dutiful sone and brother untill death                  Th^os W. Collay

 

give my love to all my friends tell M^rs Browning that I have not received any answer to my letter yet you must send me some thing to eat in the box if there is any room for it 

 

P.S give this to M^r Cassell I want him to get George Mantz to make me a pare of caverley boots and send them to me by express with Rufuses. I want you to have them made for me and settle for them wee have bein fooled ougt of our pay this time the Pay Master was hear this week but owing to the pay Roll being sent to Richmond and we will have to wate till the next pay day comes around whitch will not be long the 14^th of this month we will then have 4 months pay due us all the Regiment was paid of but our companey and another I want you to be shure to have the legs of our boots made long enoug you will oblige your friend very mutch by doing this favor for me give my love to Jane and samuel and receive a portion to your self from your friend

 

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T.W.Collay

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