University of Virginia Library

1864-04-29

It is with much
pleasure that I embrace the present
oppotunity of responding to your kind
and interesting favor of the 17th inst
which came to hand in due time
and aforded me much pleasure to hear
that you were all well. I and would
have answered it amidiately though we
had to go on picket and I thought
that I would wait until we came
bac to camp. and may be I would
have some thing new to write so I
have though it is not verry good if
it is true, It is reported that Yankee
is coming up the peninula I do not
know wether thay are coming in
force or not. or even wether thay
are coming atal, one of our men were
at a fishery about 20 miles below here
yesterday he said that thay were

expecting the Yankees thare when
he left, it maybe just a squad of
cavalry aiming to drive our men
from the fishery. I havent hird
any thing from thare this morn
ing, I hope the next time I hear
from thare to hear that thay are
all rite again. the 53 regt[1] has
bin down thare fishing for some
time, we have drawn fish one time
since thay have bin fishing and I
guess will draw more soon if the
Yankees dont drive our men from
the fisherry, some of our men in camp
has bin cacth catching a good meny
fish lateley with hooks I have caught
verry few my self, though I guess it
is my own fault be cause I were two
lazy to fish for them, we are having
beautiful wether now for spring also
a verry nice time in camp much nicer
than I expected some time ago. I
made sure that we would have to fight
before this time. our army and the
Yankee army are geting verry close
to gather in Northern Va I dont think that it will
be many days before thay havewill have
a fight, thay had a small skirmish
yesterday morning with cavalry
I beleave it is generally beleaved that
the Yankees are going to do thier
best for Richmond this campaign
I beleave that this campaign will
decide the war hope it may
we have bin verrysuccesful so
this far this spring and I hope
and pray that we may continue
to be succesful this summer and
end this cruel war in our favor,
We rec yours and sisters[2]letters of the 24
inst sence I comenced writing verry
glad to hear from you all though
verry sorry to hear of Martha[3] being
sick much hope she is well
before this time, also verry sorry
to hear Ucle of Uncle Drurys sufering
with his caugh I much hope it will
not pester him long, [4]
well I beleave that I have writen
enough for the present so I will close
hoping to hear from you verry soon
Gave my best respects to Uncle Drury
and the rest of the family also to Jennie
and her family and til them all to write
to me as I am allways anxcious to hear
from them,