[The place for the date in this letter has been left blank, but it was clearly written after the Battle of Chancellorsville, perhaps in late May.]

Ga Upton Cty May the 1863

Dear Son and Brother this leaves us all well
except cold Ma is still mending we received your
letter you sent by McGrigers was glad to hear you was
well I have not got any thing new to write about the
farm only the boys expects to get done choping out cotton
this week we have not had any in three weeks
you wrote to us if we wanted you to bring us some salt
to send you some money and sacks which we intend to
do we will send you 100 dollars to buy us some salt
in your Satchel I wrote on the envelop of my last letter
that cousin Wm McNeice was killed I saw a letter from
Thomas Bridges after I had sealed mine in which he
wrote that he and Ely Mabey was killed since then
I have received a letter from Joseph Pound in which he
said that cousin William and one of Mr Kincys sons was
killed he said that monday evening Materson and Mr
Conell was on picket and our picketts was orderd to charge the
yanks breast works and did so Mr Conell said he was hit
by a boom and knocked senseless but he soon come too
and went on when he got to the breast works Materson
was there about that time the yanks charged and took
several of our men prisners at which time he guessed
Materson was took, that was all he said about him only he
said to me not to be uneasy about J M that as our
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people had took so many yanks prisners that he would
soon be exchanged he said it was the hardest Battle
he ever saw he said the 2 and 3 days of May was the
hardest fighting he said it was the worst Battle field
he ever saw he said a man could stand and count
500 dead men he said every time our people charged
the yanks the[y] run he said boys took 2 or 3
comissory departments and Amenition and Guns
by the thousand he said the loss of his Brigade
was light the loss of his Regt in killed and
wounded would not excede 10 men he said
our boys took several Baterrys from the yanks on
saterday evening and turned them and fought them
with thire Baterrys on Sunday that was the
day we killed so many he said our boys was in
fine spirits, I must close you must
write soon nothing more only we remain as ever
your affectionate Mother and Sister
M E Ivey M A Pound