Sadurday April the 18 1863
My Dear Charlotte
I have just received your letter and we dont have to drill this afternoone so I will visit with you. It is a poore way but we are thankful for this privelage. I was verry glad to hear from you. I have ben woring a good deal about Matie. I wish she was over her cold. I am afraid she will get the diptheria. I have had a hard cold and headache. I cough a good deal. You may think I took cold on account of not haveing my blanket but I sleep warme but I dont sleep as sound as I did when I was home. Our bed haint as good. The weather is warme and pleasent. The peach trees are in blossom. The grass grows fast. I told you in may last letter that we expected to stay here but I am sorry to tell you that we have had orders to be ready. The orders came Tuesday and we had to pack up what things we dident want to cearry amd durne them over to the quartermaster. Some of the boys cept their blankets and others their overcoats. We have got to cearry eight days rations of crackers and sugar and coffe and three days of poark. We have to put five days rations of hardtacks in our knapsacks. They are going to drive five days rations of beef if it is able to walk. The beaves are getting verry poore. We got all packed Tuesday and are waiting for orders to go. It may be in less that ten minuets. We have to ceep eight days rations on hand all the time. I cant tell where we are going. There was a boat of our cavelry crosed the river this weak a fiew miles above Frederickburg. Some think we will go up there. Some think to Culpeper but they dont know. We may not leave here but we have got to ceep in readiness and are liable to go at eney hour. I guess there will be a generl movement and some hard fightting. I heard there there was a corp comeing from Washington to take our place. I got both of the letters you wrote before I was home that I hadent had. The last one came the first of last weak. I got a letter Jacob to day. He is well. They are having easy times. You neadent worry about my falling in the river. We dont work there eney more. You must try and ceep up good spirits and no worry so mouch. I know it is verry hard for you to live alone. It must be verry lonesome and who is to blame. I am. I never should have enlisted. No man of a mamely should. There is singel men enough but what is the use of fightting. Our army haint enough united or at least haint ben. I hope they will do better in this move. You must not feele uneasy if you dont get a letter every weak for if we march I may not have a chance to write. I hope we wont go but we expect to hear the long roole every minuet. The boys all feels good. We dont dread it eney. I am sorry to hear that mother is sick. I dont know what you would do if it wasent for our folks. I shal have to stop writing. If we move I will write the first chance I have. No more. So good buy Dear Charlotte.
I send my love to you and Matie. Good buy Charlotte
Chas