Camp 10^th Regt. C.V.

In the field Before Richmond Va

Feb 22^ond 1865.

           

My Dear Parrents

 

                                    I now take my pen in hand to answer your kind and most welcom for I had bin looking for a letter from you for some time and how pleased I was to get it and to hear that you all was getting a long so well but I was sorry to hear that fathers feet had troubeld him so mutch this winter and I hope they wont trouble him anny more for it aint verry pleasent / I have not received the box yet it has bin on the way almost a month the must be verry near spoilt by this time the one you sent before I got it in 10 days they aint verry prompt now days and when they do come they are all broken open and half of the things if not all gone before we get them the one Katie sent the things was all gone and the box all broken open I thought a great deal of getting the box and the good things that was in it for I know they was all nice and I wall feel verry bad if I / dont get it it would be some consolation if I got nothing but the box there is no use of sending a nother one for the things wont keep if it takes so long for it to come as it has this one and I dont know when I will get this one never mind there is a good time a coming the war is verry near to a close and the rebs are coming in by hundreds evry day 100 came in the other day oficers and men they say they cant stan it anny longer they are clothed thin and live as we would say on nothing / Charleston is ours Branchville Collumbia and next will the rebs will lay down their arms and come in like a dog with his tail betwene his legs all whiped out they say them selfs they are whiped they ought to of known it before this hura for our side I hop I will live to see the war to a close I keep up good courage and hope for the best aint I one of the boys wal I am running on with a lot perhaps wont be verry interesting to you and I dident know that this was the last page so I will be obliged to close love to all write soon Miles L Smith

 

[front top margin upside down]

 

Please send me a few stamps for I have no money and we cant get them hear

SOURCES