Tell Miss Molie Moor

that M^r Sheopard is in Richmond

yet and that I have not heard from

him for some time he

was very low the last acount.

 

Camp Jackson            

Pr. William County V^a

Jan 1^st

Der Brother I seat myself to answer your kind letter of the 22^nd of Dec whitch came to hand a few dayes ago I was glad to hear that you was all well and happy to be able to say that you letter found me well I never enjoyed better health in my life than I have for the last too months I have no news worth wrighting you at this time I supose you have heard all abought the fight General had at Drainesvill it was tolerable hard on our side our loss was 160 kiled woonded and mising We do not know what the enemies loss was the citizens of Drainesvill say there loss 300 the yankie papers give their loss at 10 killed 415 woonded they out numbered us 5 to one We got all our dead and woonded the next morning / there was some few of the enemy on the field next morning when we went back for our dead we caried all our woonded of the evening of the battle except 15 whitch the enemy captured We got them next morning our Regt was not in the fight the first Kentucky Regt sufered the most and the artilery we had 20 artilery horses killed we did not losse any of our artilery one piece had to be hawled of by hand all the horses being killed the enemy did not molest a thing that was left on the field by our men we had too casons blown up full of bom shels whitch killed several men & horses General Stewart did not make any thing by that fight onley saved his wagons of whitch he had 215 he started on a forageing expadition and it apears that the enemy had started on the same earant 

 

I believe that is al I can tell you of the fight we have moved back to within five miles of the Junction the whole Cavalry Brigade is close hear it consists of 6 Regiments we are all buisey building winter quarters in [faded, paper holes, fold] the battlefield of the 21 July there is some few graves [paper hole] encampment we have got our huts pretty well built we have given ought all hopes of geting home till our time is ought Os Bailey is in the tent at this time wrighting a letter he sayed to tell you to come down and answer as a substatute for him till he goes home a while and for you to wright to him tell Bill Cassell that I am very sorry that he let my girl get maried I do not know what I shal do for a wife now I had calculated take her next spring I want to know whether she was a union girl or not if / She was I do not care I want him to wright to me and Rufus all the boys are well. I am sorry to say I have lost my box I have all most given it ought I am going a gain to morrow to look for it a gain I have bein wateing for the Receipt father ought of started the receipt when he started the box [torn, faded, creased] shirts hear if I canot get them I can buy every thing I nead that was in the box except the blanket tell mother she nead not make me any more wolen underclothes I will buy them hear I think she said she onley sent one flanel shirt in the box if she did not she may send the other with my other things and the wolen gloves you spoke of and also a comfort if you can get one you will have a good chance to send my things if you get them ready in a week or ten dayes as Alixander Golihorn is comeing home in a few days he will bring all packages to our company I would like to have a blanket if you can get one we will be paid of again in a few dayes and I will send the money to pay M^r Browning for the caps you said there was five of them I think Give my love to father and mother and sisters and my respects to all my friends from your afectionate brother

Th^os Collay

                                                           

Adress as heartofore

if you can get it you may send me a couple of

SOURCES