Verginia          camp at Belton. stason on the Railroaid

                                                                                                            augest. 3^th 1863

 

Cind and afectionate wife and children are you all wall this morning I am midline wall this morning I hav some caugh yet but is getting better slole my appite is good this is verry hot wether we march from warren jucsion here yester we swet good The same groun that we march yester we march on 14^th of jeune both on sunday Last weack we march out a pease and back a gain we did not gane enney. this is monday morning I think we will march tords Culpepper. C. H. to day Lovicy I hav not recev aletter from you for most fore weacks I do not no why I cant get a letter the mail go out and com in now I am verry anksious to here from home I am afraid that you are sick or some of the Children I wish I cood be at home to see at to the hing haying but I can not be thare to halp in haying this summer we hav ben gardind this rail roaid Thare was a lot of rebes march in here last evening we still keep taking afew of johnnes

 

Some say that Little willey Slew is ded he has ben unwall for some time and was draud aroun in the amblance till he had no euse of his legs. so some say I do not no James. O. Dannels locks verry porley he is in the amblance with the direar James Carpenter noes James O. D. you rote to me saying if I got sick that you wood come doun after me before you come you go to Dr Ray in meadvile and find

 

if I shod get sick I will let you no / what you can do be four you start. you had better hav some instrement of riting from the Dr. I think so It may be that you will haftoe go to govener Curtain and get abes be fore you can come doun here I am in hopes that I shal hav good helth and come home with out you comming after me I lock for more unhalthey wather long now so hot and dry the watter is verry bad it is not fit for youse I do not drink much watter I make it in cauffee I hav not much to rite this morning the men clean thease woods of or burning up the filth it is a old camp and dred ful filthey I hav ben to see some of the boys in 83. R. I attemp rite a little more I hav not seen Captain Fay yet He is at washington I think he will be doun here soon if he gets wall. I hav herd to day that Amas Sweat was ded I am sorry to rite such neues to think that such young men come from old crofford craword countey doun here to lay thare bones in this misible Cuntrey for I shood dislike to hav my bones lay in old verginnia Our conscrips hav not come here yet we had preaching last Sunday and weack a go we had preaching jest at nite thare was some dreunk and some swarring at the same time so it jest ceeps things to reuning. Thare is some seutlers here now I baut a pound of chease. I giv oneley 30 a pound tha can sel it for 40 jest as wall if tha wood ask it. the papers hav come I think I will hav to get me one good nite            Teusday we hav move doun to Rapahamoc River thay hav ben fiting to day we are under marching orders now. I think we will stay here to nite I meen to send this out the furst chanse I get I am wall in hopes this war is most over, good nite Riley Carpenter

 

[front margin upside down]

wends morning. I herd this morning that we drove the rebs

I am wall                                 tock 3 batteres             I got no letter last nite

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