[sideways] My love to [faded]

Culpeper

V^a Feb 20^th /62

Dear Sister

                                    It has bein some time since I have had an opportunity of wrighting you we have got settled dow in camp once more & I embrace the present opportunity of wrighting you a few lines to let you know that I am well and doing very well at this time            

 

We went on picket on the 15^th & came in on the 18^th we had a pretty severe time as it commenced snowing on the 17^th & continued untill the morning of the 18^th and it changed to rain & rained all day on us the piquet post is abought 20 miles from camp our releif got there abought 2 oclock in the morning & we had to travile all the way to camp in the rain and dark

 

            there is no news heare along this line every thing is quiet / heare it is reported that the yankeys are falling back towards Washington Citty we did not see any whilst on piquet the roads are in an awful condition at this time the snow was some 10 inches deep when it commenced raining [faded] almost disappeared

 

            We get plenty to eat since we have come up to this camp pork & flower we get nothing but corn for our horses tell father I do not see any chance of getting my horse sent home at this time he has bein there three months the 25^th of this month that will cost me $60.00 & M^r Greg came by there for his hors & sayed he doesnt think my hors will stand the trip from there home he sayed he has not improved any since he has bein there I wrote to M^r Sneed to know what he would be willing to give me for him I have not received an answer to it yet I hope they know what to do with him the / old man Sneed told M^r Greg that he would sell him to pay the expense if I did not take him away in a short time

 

            I have nothing more to wright at this time My love to Mother Father Laura & Sue & may gods blessing rest upon you all is the wish of your brother

T. W. Collay

 

Dear Brother being

that I have some paper to spare I will wright you a few lines to let you know how we are getting along the Regt started the same morning you left for home & I left for Miss Sallie [?] a bode I arrived there abought 1 oclock in the morning & stayed untill Saturday 10 oclock the next morning when I left with a sad heart I reached the Regt at night abought 11 oclock / at Waters Tavern Lewis [faded] we mad the trip to Culpeper in 2 dayes after I caught up with them we camped near the citty too night & then went ought to our present camp 5 miles east of the citty where we will stay for some time

 

            We have to piquet down on the Rappahannock abought 20 miles from our camp we have to stay ought 4 dayes at a time we had a glorious time whilst we were on picket it snowed abought 10 or 12 inches then turned in to rain

 

            You ought to be heare now the theatter opened to night at Culpeper [?] it will be a great thing I expect. Lewis I want you to see [?] & see if he can get me 5 bushels of salt & what it will cost me & let me know soon I want it for a friend I wish you a happy time at home

 

[top margin upside down]

 

I will close for the want of space & some thing to say bring me a pare of pants when you return your afectionate brother

                                                            [faded]

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