Feb 28^th/63

                                                                                    Camp Near Fredrickesburg

 

Dear father and mother I take this oppertunity to rite you A few lines to let you know that I am well at presant and hope that this will find you the same I have just got in from picket and wee had A pritey hard time when wee went out the snow was about 8 or 9 ins deap and when wee came back it was all gon wee was out three days the first day was plesant the second/ day was cloudy and the rebals atacked our lines and drove in ouer Caverly picket but when thay came to the infuntry picket they had to skadadel wee got tow prisenors and four horses and that night it raind quite hard an wee had to dobel our gard and wer no tents nothing but our rubar an wolein blankets to cover ous with it seams as if this war was about plaid out are folkes up thare going to/ stand this concriptes list I think thay had not aught to for the poor folkes will be the ones to com and the ritch can stay at home Clark and Mick Widrick are both dead thay died at Ack[?]creek hospital thare was onley tow or three hours diferance betwen thare deaths thay had the tiford fevar thare is not mutch to rite at presant my love to you all from your son

                                                                                                James Swanson

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