April the 7 1863
Camps Near Fredickburg
Dear sister I
take my pen in hand to
let yow know that I am
at present hoping when
those few lines comes
to hand they mayfind
yow well I have ben
Sick with abad cold
and pain over my eye
times is civil hear at
present we have had
some very bad weather
hear it snowd night
before easter alarge
Snow it is all gone now
I was down to see uncil
william and uncil john
thay was both well bwt
they drill them mighty
[page 2]
hard they can come to
our company by giveing
25 Dollars to boot
they look tollibol well
we have move to our
old camps About two
mils where we stayd
the night before chrismast
I have jwst my shanty
done and cook Abig
mess of peas I tell yow
I twcks in abig mess
of them tell mrs lockmon
Dock is well and harty
So nomore at present
only Remaing your
Brother till death
to Martha E Brotherton
Right soon W H B
[page 3]
Dear Father And mother
I will drop yow afew
line to let yow know
that I am all Right
tell aint [1] I saw uncles
both tell them howdy
for me tell granmother
all howdy for me
tell them all to Right
to me
So no more
only Right Soon
and give me all
the news
to Thomas Brotherton

from W H Brotherton
I saw two men
whip the owther day
uncles Saw them whip
they thawght it was hard
[page 4]
Joseph Allen to
April the 7 Martha E. Brotherton
Camp near fredericburg
Dear cosen I after a long
delay take the present opertuinty
of writing yow a few lines to
let yow no that I am well
hoping when those comes to
hand thay may find yow and
the rest well well betsy
I have bin thinking about
writing yow A leter and since
I have bin out but never
have yet yow must [??????]
and I will do beter
hear after I would like to
See you all the best in the
world but distanc will not
permit but I hope it will
not be long, henderson is
dead yow have herd it before
now I recon give my respects to
uncil and aint I must stop
for this time write soon soon