Camp Ruthudell December 13^th 1862

W M^cKee

 

Dear Cousin

                                                                        I received your letter that was wrote on the 1^st but not mailed untill the 5^th. I was glad indeed to get it for it is the 1^st one I have received from you. I hope this may find you all enjoying good health when it reaches you. Could not you and James come out here and see me being as I can not come and see him it would be a nice pleasure trip for you and him

 

            Wilson I am not very well I have a stiff neck and a very bad cold other ways I am a great deal better than I was a day or two ago then I could scarcely move my neck but now I can turn my neck any way /

 

in you letter I see you think or suppose we will soon have a fight. you and differ in opinions greatly as far as that is concerned at the present time there is no armed Rebel force within over a 100 miles and we are going into winter quarters and will not go to them and it very sure they will not come to us for they have nothing but a weak "Small" insignificant force out at princeton and they have to rob for their support also they are ragged and barefooted.

 

            While on the other hand we have plenty of provisions and good clothing of every description and almost all that a soldier can need

 

            I was sorry to hear of the removal of M^cClellen if you had seen him as I seen him and how his men loved him you would have been sorry to But I was under / Burnside myself for a short time he is beloved by his more that M^cClellen if more could be he would never pass a private soldier without saluting him and if a private was talking to him and an officer was to come up and request a few minutes conversation with him he would tell him to wait until he was done with this man Such a man is general Burnside Beloved by all his troops and has the confidence of the country he cannot fail to be successful give my love to all at home and to Aunt Mary and Marget Write soon and tell me how John is getting I am in hopes he is getting better Jim is at the saw mill yet but as to morrow is Sunday I think he will be down a while wilson it goes prety hard sometimes to eat army rations if we had a / little of home living to mix once and a while I think it it would go a great deal better Iksaac Wiggins is as fat as he can be handy Johny Myres and and all the rest of the boys are well that you are acquainted with

 

            it is the general opinion out here that the war will be over by the 1^st of May either by a comprimise or fighting. have you heard of our late victories in Arkansas emmit Macdonald was there and is a Lieftenant Colonel instead of a general as I heard some time ago I think him and the officers over him are poor excuses to be whiped by half their number

 

Write soon and give all the news Send me a newspaper either Herald or Union.

 

 Jas Wilson  To Mr Wilson M^cKee

 

Write as soon as you get this

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