Camp near winchester                        Oct the 1^st, 62

 

                                    Miss Mary Hodnett

            Dear sister I a gain seat my self to Drop you a few lines though I have not heard from you all since I wrote last these lines leave me wel Brother Jef well sam is gone to the hospital a gain he cant stand to march he was swelled like he had the Dropsy John got wounded as you have heard I surpose I have not seen him since Tip has not been up with the company since we left gordonville last he had the chills then I heard from him the other Day he expected to come up in a few Days the the other Boys are well enos ward is sick too william was wounded as you have heard before this time it was one of the most hard faught battles ever faught almost I Dident get in it nor sam and Brother Jef Brother Jef was left at martinsburg sick my self and sam was left at harpers ferry sick and Enos ward Brother Jef is up with the company now and able to eat all we can get only half rashions at that. we will Draw some money in a few Days now can by something then well Mary Mary I Dont/know what would interest you now we have hard times here I am verry anxious to hear from home I Dreamed last night of geting a letter something like a coppy book some 10 or 12 sheets in it. I would like to get such a one now Mary it is useless for me to try to tell any thing a bout the fighting lately you have heard of it before this time there is a talk of our going to savannah a gain soon but I cant tell yet whether we will or not but one thing sure we nead rest verry bad we have been going ever since we have been in va sure and faught as hard as any body I want to go to savannah so I can get oysters and fish to eat well Mary I have Just been stopt read to read your kind letter of Date the ar from the 30^th to the 17^th you may bee sure I was glad to hear from home a gain it is the first in a long time I would have riten before this time but I couldnt get paper they are a man in camp now selling paper at 20 cts a sheet well Mary I will change the subject a gain though I have no news to write to you we are all most out of close and nearly bare/footed I wore my old hat out but I got a yankee cap at Manassas it will last me some time all the winter but my shoes are a bout out I recon we will Draw shoes soon or the army will bee bare footed Mary you heard of our taking harpers ferry we got 1000 men and some 2500 negroes lots of guns and 70 odd pieces of artilery 2 Days after that the battle come off in Maryland 24 of our company was wounded and one killed 3 or 4 others nocked Joe has caught up a gain his arm is well but bare footed well I recon I will have to bring my lines to a close give my love to all the family and friends and receive a large portion for your self                                John W. Hodnett

 

Ps Tell Brother george I will write to him as soon as I get some paper this is all I have got and it is Barowed tell Henry I have looked verry hard for his letter but it has never come yet susans either I keep looking for them yet I for got to tell you I had be in 18 miles of washington city and to Fredric city Maryland good By for this time  John W. Hodnett

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