Well Margaret I received one of your leters last eveing and I was glad to hear from you it is six weeks since I got a leter from you I am well and stout and harty I had the rumitisms But I am rid of them now on the 9 of this month we got on Bord of a transport on the potamick river at Fredericks burgh and we rune down the river and crossed the Chesapeake Bay and got in tto the york river and run up the york river to Wite house landing and thare We marsched 12 miles By the railroad and here we are Now Camped the hold reserve is here 12 miles on this side of richmond at friday Nite thare was a lot of rebel cavelry got out through our pickets and got on the rail rode betwene us and the wite house and set a bridge a fire and burnt 50 goverment Wagons and took all the Drivers prisners and f ired in to the Cars Cild Some and wonded 8 or nine we went Down and took after them but they Went to fast mcClealand Sent a rigment of lansers after them but thay Crossed the Chickahomony river and got in rish mond Well margaret you got Heard [??] of Banks as Fite that is Nothing if that Scares you folks you are easy scared it is true it was Bad a Nuff But that is Nothing of the fite that was at rish mond at rish mond the men ware laying 3 and 4 on top of each other and one fite more at rishmond is expected Daly and that will be a Desperate fite and that Will Nearly Close the Ware Dont fret about mee for all is well with mee you knowe that it is Death if I run up and com home and I would Not leave the army Now how till I git a Discharge you folks Dont Now mush about the fiting thare is Cananading every Day at rishmond the rebels tries to Shell our troop back but thay cant Do it for we have 3 batel lines.
Now margaret I will stop riting about the ware let mee know wehter you got them 20 Dollars that I sent you-to carlisle and let mee know wether you got Cally [??) likness and my likness and let mee know wether henry polk gives you your releave money and if Clarak wont Stay With you try and git Ammy for I want Sam pesson with you and the children try and git some one to Stay with you you stated in your leter that I should send you all the money that I Could y Dont I Do So I Sent you all but a little and I hant got a sent Now in my pocket I of ' ten See good Cheese and Cakes and pies that I would like to eat But I Sent my money home to you and the Children John Siler had 35 Dollars last pay Day and Now he hante got A Dollar but you know that I make good use of all the money that I can Spare and I will Send it to you Margaret try and get Jacob Smead to plaster the part of the house and git him to find all and See what he Will Charge for it Do Just as if I was at home you manage the things try and git them Bords put up a gainst the Back Side of the house meby Joseph Wite will wether Borde it you mite as well put them on for els thay Will spoil and if you want you may git it all plastered in side Do just as you think best you know if I live and Come home I will git it Done but I see that we have a little longer ware then what was expected and before I mite git home it mite be Cold wether and I will send you all the money that I can and if you git it plastered go up Stares and the children for it will cill you to stay ware it is fresh plastered anser Soon and Derect your leter to washington four of our Company and Cain went out on A Scout and got all cut to peases Cain is in rishmond jail but we are all rite. anser soon.
If Robbert Campbel can wait till a nother payment is made to me please keep that monny to pay for things that I want acasionaly in the time of nead and to by stamps for me and uther things as I send for them. And I want some to use when I get my discharge. Use of the monney all you want to use to make out the express box or to by stamps to send your letters.
dont think it hard that I Dont rite oftener for I cant git A chanse to rite any more.
[unsigned]
