Verginnia. October 16^th 1863

Camp at sentervill mon in the forts that Beuregard mad and ockpide time bul reun fite

 

                                                                                                                        Dear wife and children I once more temp to inform you how I am. I am not verry wall. I hav not had a verry good appitite few days past my breckfast taste verry wall I think that I will soon be tuf a gain We hav had hard march since I rote to you last we hav march a gooddeel nites and verry fast when we march we hav ben on aretereat most of the time we garded a wagonstrain part of the time the wagontrain is in Elaxander now Thare has ben som fiting evry day for 6 or 7 dayes Betwix culpepper and here we hav taken some prisners / we hav drov the rebs. It has ben agood retreat. Thare was no fiting when we started on this retreat The jonnes trid to take our train of wagon tha want our susplyes thay cod not cummit tha work hard nite and day We herd thersday that Curtin was re lected some 3000 me joyety the boyes war verry wall please with the neues

 

It has ben raining to day the wind now blows cold. It is now most nite now thare is some firing now I hav not recev enney mail sence I rote to you last James I think you are a better boy then you ware a while a go rite and let me no James Wall eva you rote me anise letter I am wall please when the children rite afew lines to me. It is quite a pittey if Kelley cant find the corners of that plase it is a pittey /

 

            I hav not much to rite to day our tropes are improving maken some improvemments on the fortification thare may be a big time here yet I wood like to be at home to halp you do the chores these cold and wet mornings and nites Thare is no occount of Gorge Frankline I must bring this to a close Rite ofen as you can and as much Excuse all mistakes Giv my best re spec to all in quiring frends

yours in hast                from your frend

                                                Riley Carpenter

                                                To        Lovicy Carpenter

 

[verso, upside down]

This comb I found I hav

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