Saturday Night
Jan 3 th 1863
Camp Near
Bell Plane VA

Dear Wife I
take this oppotunity
of writing a few lines
to you I hope thay
will finde you all
well as thay leave us
At present I
Receved your Kinde
And Welcome letter
dated the 28 And was
glad to hear that
you all enjoyed
christmas so well
I hope i shall enjoy
the next with you
I still liv in hope
that this thing will
not last long
[page 2]
I will lay my
pen away as the ink
is so scarse that i
cannot write with it
Wee ware out scouting
the fore parte of
this week to warrington
citty it is about
forety 40 miles we sean
nouthing worth menchening
we charged thrue the
town in the morning
and the rebles past
thrue in the after
noone wee number
about two 200 hundred
men thare was two
partys of our men
our party was commanded
by major wight [bitter?]
known as capten wight
[later?] promoted to
majore
[page 3]
The other party
was cammanded by
Gen [Avrell?] thay ware
about fifteene 1500 hundred
strong with foure peases
of artilrey thay whent
out to distroy some
Bridge But was orded
Back thay also past
thrue warrington in
the after noone just
to late to see the
rebles thay came with
in twelve miles of
camp and started out
on another expedishen
thay hav a grate
worke to performe
if thay can carey
it out if every thing
is true thay will be
severell days gon
[page 4]
this is my last
sheet shee of paper
and envelopes we
cannot by aney hear
I hav bin trying fore
some time I will
know bring my letter
to a close i will
be on garde tomorrow
Sunday I will know
Bid you good night
and turne in to bed
we have [these?] small
[tents?] yet and are
not likley fore having
any thing else
giv my loov
and respects to All
your Affectnate
Husband
William Band
[page 5]
Jan 4
Sunday Morning

It is abutiful morning
more like spring
then winter
I am just gowing
on garde eight 8 ocl
8 o clock
[page 6]
I will sende you
a news years present
It is the best I
can do it is this
pen and pencil gold
pen and [selver?] pensel
I foud it in warrington
road I will only
loose it if i keepe it
get the case stratned
out it was tramped on