Oct the 7^th 61

 

Miss Mary Hodnett

my Dear sister I have at last have taken my pen in hand to answer your letter which I read with the greatest of pleasure Mary I have no great news only I am well and in camp again mary we are at sml mountain/we were on one high point and the yankeys on an other in sight of us but I suppose they found out general Lee was in command here rosancrance says that he will not fight Lee any more Mary they stayed here in sight of us nearly a week and then retreated cavalry folowed them they say that they have gone to Ohio/

 

I expect we will go to Charlestown to take winter quarters Mary I want some close if I possibly get them I dont no whether we can get conveyance or not I have not got my blanket yet but heard of it at last and hope that I will get it in a few days if I for fear I dont get them please send me two/of the heaviest shirts you can find but Dont double them if you can send me one par of woolen pants and one blanket we have not Drawn our money yet but expect to get it in a few days if I can I will send the money to pay for them I had the bad luck to loose one of my blankets when I had the measels/

 

Mary please to get them things ready as soon as you can and when we get in to winter quarters I will rite for them un less some person is passing up there/Doctor beasley is comeing to bring our uniforms if you can send them by him do it and you will oblige me very much we have/had some frosts here and a little sleet we cant stay here much longer before we cant travel the roads are geting so bad that we cant hardly get provisions for so many we have in our army now about 12000 men before we got here they had about 4000 in both armies Mary we have not been in narry battle yet. I hope that peace will bee made before/we get another chance we to change the subject I will tell you something about the battle that general floyd fought on yaley river you heard of that battle rosancrance reported 2500 dead and 2500 wounded we taken some prisoners and that’s what they said well Mary to come nearer home you said they were making up a company at/Bethel to go down on the cost of ga and benny and sam had Joined it I wish they would come up here and Join this or that I could go and Join that though they would not bee any chance for me to Join go an Join that unless they would give me a commissioned officers place then they would bee a chance for it

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