[fragment]

                                                                                    Camp near Orrange Corthouse

                                                                                                Va Dec the 10^th 1863

 

                        To Miss Marry Hodnett

Mother Brother and Sister I Seet my Self this morning to ansur your kind letter that I reseved last night and red with so mutch pleasure though it had bin rote nearly a month and we had reseived one letter from you sence it had bin rote thare nothing that of of affords us more pleasure than to hear from home and to hear that all is well. these lines will inform you that me and henry is well Samuall is of on gard

garding bagage a bo

he has bin garding n

I recon that he will

as it is mutch easy a

Camp and besids t

Say in I will loo

way day untill he co

[?]t Lu Curtright

for him Jo Moore

Mary I reseived a leter

other day he is got back/

 

he left Getesburg te 7^th of last mounth or no I beleav the 10^th and got to Richmond the 17^th he rote word that his hand had got well but his hip run a good eal yet the wound was jest like you heard it was he ses that sore leg is three inches Shorter than the other and will be a crouple all of his life. the morning he rote to me he Sed was the first time he tride to walk a Step Sence he reseived his wound he all so rote that he was verry ancious to get back to old Ga and wish Some of us to get a

                                                                                                            and carry him home

                                                                                                            with out help. I also

                                                                                                   Brother James day before

                                                                                                            ll. well Sister Mary

                                                                                                            es will reach you in

                                                                                                            nd you all well which

                                                                                                            well Sister Mary the

                                                                                                            to us hant got hear

                                                                                                            this eavning I recond

                                                                                                      Corthouse Lu Curtright

                                                                                                            thare last night and

                                                                                                    re by one of our Company/

 

…during this time Gen Lee throud up one of the best fortifiycation that I ever saw in my life the yankes advance up in sight and faild to come any further they then began to fall back we followed them to the River and taken a good many prisners then but I dont now the number of them well I cant right more a bout it now to chang well Sister Mary you stated in your letter that Mother was advised to hav Father property sold and sed that Mother wanted to now what to do a bout it I think that it wood be the best

ceap it all to gether a nother year any

            less she is needing money I don

                        owed on it [?] or not…/

 

…we hope that evry thing will come Sase and will thankfully reseive them and hope that will be able Some day to reward all of you for all of your truble for us Sister Mary Mary you Stated in your letter that Mother was verry sorry that she coudent get a par of shouse to Send to me I am verry glad that She dident get thin for we can get Shouse hear a heap easy than She can thare and they dont cost us but 6 dollars and thare I surpose you all hav to pay a [?] from what I hear and our Clothing a great deal

            you all can make them H

                        you Sent his as he is…

 

[margin:]         tell Matty and Tomey we are verry much a blige to them for thare Hickry nuts and Bopcorn we hant got it yet but when we get them will Sit and eat and think of them pleas right to us regular and tell Sister lizebeth to right us tell JF Moor to Stay at home as long as he can and then when he cant stay any longer it will be time a nuff to come back. well Sister Mary…

 

[top margin:]   I wood of like to of more but I hav had to haste through to Send it of to day I hav rote in verry look over all mistakes I remane your Brother untill death

                                                                        So Good By    T J Hodnett

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