Pleasent Vally Maryland
Oct the 24
Dear Wife
It is now two o clock at knight and we had marching orders come at eleven o clock and I thought I would write a fiew lines to let you know that I am well and hope these fiew lines may find you all the same. I dont know where we shal go but you will know. Erastus will write as soone as we get at our journy end. The boys are all verry well from the Centre but there is one hunderd and sixty on the the sick list and one body sent home the other day and you may tel Mr Casselsmans that John Cooper died to knight. He was was from Burkshear and perhaps he knows him. I have not learned what was the matter with him. The boys are all asleep but the cooks they are cooking our rations and I am in their tent. Perly is mixing pancakes. We bought some wheat flour and we mix flour with soda and water and they eat harty well but not as good as you ust to make but I can eat now what I couldent then. We have got to leave part of our flour as we have got enough to carry with out it. We have got to start at nine in the morning. They have had hard battels in Kentucy and Tenessee and they have drove the rebels all up this way and I think they will have to take it here now. We are under Burnside and he will give it to them before long. We are in the fourth recerve brigade. The bagage wagons are roring all around us. The troops are all moveing. I think there must be something agoing on. You must not feel uneasy about me. I think I shal come out all right. Mabe never go into action. I feel well and am gaining fast. I weight myself. I weight one hundred and sixty one. That is ten or foreteene lbs heavery than I was when I enlisted but Er and Wm have grown the other way if eneything and the most of the regt the same. The most of them have got the diereas. I have ben verry lucky abought that. I now hear a long rool beat up on the hights. They have got to cedadel. I shal have to stop writing. It is cold. We have frost here now. My love to you and all. Ciss Maty for me.
Good buy Charlotte. I will tell that I heard from Jacob last knight. He is well. He is to Beltsvill about thirteen miles from Washington.
Charles