Camp Near Brandy Station VA
October the 23rd 1863
Dear Companion , once more I take the oportunity
to write you a few lines by way of answer to your
kind letter of the 12 inst which came to hand in Due
time I was glad to get another letter from you , But
truly sorrow to hear that you are still in such verry
Bad helth, though I cincearly hope that you are Better
Before now, it would Bee great sattisfaction to me if
it was possible for me to Bee at home so that I could
assist you in your trouble and sore afflictions But I
am hear and it appears that their is no chance for
me to get to go home however much I may Bee
enclined to go home , so all that I can Do or say to you
is to Bee as patient as possible ever Remembering that
this life of Bondage can not allways last , I am glad
that I am still blessed with privalage of saying to you that I
am still Blessed with a Resonable portion of helth ,
in your letter you say somthing about the cattle all that
I can say to you on this subject is this just Do as you
think Best and all wil Bee rite with me under the
present surcumstances . Dear wife , I will know will telling
a little about the movements of this army for the last 15 Days
on the morning of the 9th of this inst we commenced march
ing and we just marched rite towards the yankeys we
expected to get in to a fite rite off But as luck would have
it Just as soon as the yankeys found that we was advancing
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on them they began to fall Back and they kept on
on falling falling Back and we persued them cloce till
they got to Bristo station which is Near manassus their
part of our army got on them and they took a stand in
this Rail roade Butut only tow Brigades of our army was engag
in the fite the one general Cooks Brigade and the other generals
petigrews Brigade they charged the yankeys in the Railrode But
they ware Repulsed by loosing a good many of their men
killed and wounded after this we ware marched up rite in
front of the yankeys and we expected to charge them But as
luck would have it it was nearly knigh and Before we
got Ready to charge them it was Dark and Before it got
Day light again they ware all gone to manassus and
you may Depend that I was of it
then we Begane to fall Back and tear up the Railrode
as we went we Tore up and Burned up som 25 or 50
miles of the Railrode and perhaps more we are camped
at this time Near the Rhapohannoe River Just on the
south side som 10 or 12 miles above Culpepper court house
I have no idea how long we will stay hear , we
Run the yankeys 5 Days Before we caught up with them
I must close By asking and entreating you to write
often to me and I will write as often as I can ,
still hooping that the time may not Bee far in the
future when we shall meete again and have the
privalage of living the Remainder of our Days together and
enjoy the pleasures of life as we once engoyed them
I still Remain as ever your affectionate husban geo. Williams