Brandy Station V^a

January February 9^th 1864

 

            Dearest Wife I now seat my self to try to hold social intercourse with you through the medium of the pen which is a great privilege I am enjoying very good health at this time for which blessing I trust that I feel truly thankfull to the great Giver of all good and I trust that when this reaches you it will find you again restored to your vanted health and the rest in good health I received a letter from you last night dated the 2^ond of the month I was very sorry to hear that you wer not enjoying very good health but my prayer is that ere this you may be restored to health again. we have again been on a small march as to distance but I think as hard a trip as I ever yet had since I have been in the service On last Saturday morning about 6^ock we got orders to be ready by seven to march with three days rations in our haversacks we wer ready to start by that hour but we did not start till about four in the evening we marched about eight miles that night through the rain and mud when we encamped for the / night the next morning we marched about 3 miles farther when we encamped till about five O^ck in the evening when we started for camp where we arrived about 11^ock at night after as muddy a march as it possible to imagine I have not yet told you what wer the reasons for our going out so suddenly well in the first place the Rapidan River is or has been considered by both Armies all winter as the boundry line and the rebels I guess thought that our forces had the most of them reenlisted and gone home and they would as as they pleased so they crossed over the river and bothered our pickets a goodeal and so we wer sent out to let them know that we wer still here but the 1^st and 2^ond Corps wer there before us and they had done the work before we got there they had a verry hard fight Our loss is estimated at 1,200 killed wounded and missing I have not yet heard the correct account of the enemys loss we took about a thousand prisioners. The weather is verry cool here now but it has been verry nice for some time back I was a goodeal surprised yesterday by seeing a letter that you had written to the War Department in regard to me getting a furlough you had not intimated enny thing of the kind to me but it is all right and I thank you for it I will / tell you what the prospects are Your letter was indorsed by the War Department and refered to General Mead and signed by him and refered to General French and signed by him and refered to General Carr signed by him and refered to Colonel Smith and signed by him and refered to Major Elright of the Regt and signed by him and refered to Capt Neyand and the Capt and I went to Colonel Smith who commands the Brigade and he told us their was no furloughs given at this time except to see a person die of or something of that kind but he thought their would be an order given soon for to allow a few more furloughs to be given and for the Capt to indorse it and recommend me which he did and as I had frequently told him of your not being verry healthy he gave his statement to the effect or stated that he knew what you stated in your letter to be true and as soon as there is enny chance my papers is to made out and sent on the only good your letter done for me is this In the first place it gives me the first chance in the Co. and the first in the Regt Capt Hogue of Co. B. received a letter from his wife through the same course as yours that is all that I can tell you know I hope and I think I will soon get to talk to you face to face / You can depend I will do all I can to get home and I think the Capt will do me justice Sergeant Caskey went home this morning on a recruiting expedition I sent some of Thomas Gearhart things home with.

 

I got a letter from Wilsons last night they are all well when they wrote and one from Uncle Jo Snivelys I got those things you wer so kind as to send me on last thursday I hardly know how to thank you enough for them that cake you sent I showed to several and they thought it the nicest cake that ever came to the Potomac Army all the thanks I can give you is to pray that God may bless you I give some the cake to James Westfall and he told me to give you his best wishes and respects

           

tell Richard that I will answer his letter soon

                       

I will close for this time as it is getting late and I am on guard to day and will have to go on guard soon

                       

Give my love to Mother and all the family and believe me as ever Your Affectionate

Husband till death

                                   

Our meeting is still in progress and I think much good is being done

                                   

Goodby J^as Foreman

to Nellie Foreman

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