Camp near fredericks Burg va
January the 27 1863
Dear father i take this oppertunity to rite
you a few lines this leavs me Well at this
time hopeing when thes few lines comes to hand
they may find you enjoying the same blessins
have no news of eney importance to rite to you
all is quiet on this line at this time, but
i am afraid it wont be so long. We ar looking
for another Big Battle here, Jenerall Burn
side is going to make another attempt to cross
the rapperhannock by the Way of falmerth
Which about four miles from fredericks Burg
But the wet weather has prevented him from
crossing. if he crosses now he Will half to leave
his artilerry for the ground is very Wet and it
is raining now, and looks like it mite
rain on for a day or too, the health of our
regtment is som What better than it
has bin for som time We hav but one sick
man in our company W L Clinkscales
is sick this morning he has the chils but
i think he wil soon get Well again, We
had one death in our company last weak
it Was William C Baty, he died at
richmond he had just got from the hospi
tal and took sick and started Back to the
hospital and died by the time he got there
i received aletter form A Watts the other day
he is still in the hospital he is confined to
his bed yet he cant Walk eney on his leg
Without his crutch the rest of the Boys is get
ing Well that Was Wounded at Fred
ericks Burg
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you wanted to no if i had got R.P mon
ey i hav not got it yet i can not get it
til i get the chance to go to richmon i can
not get it here you said you Wanted me to
come home and Bring it, i tell you thir is
no chance for me to go for they Wont let
us off they promisd to giv us furlows but
they ar all mad up, if i cold get som one to take
my place for a month or too i cold get to go
i Wish you Wold try to get som of the Boys to
come and tak my place try James cal
Well i Wil giv him fifty dolars if he Wil
take my place for too months that Wil be
the only chance for me to get off i Want to
go home Wors now than i hav since i hav bin
hear, i Will get that money the first Chance
and send it to you for i hav no use for it for
i hav got enough to do me i have got one hun
dred and thirty dollars in my pocket and i
hav got about forty or fifty owing to me
i received your letter that Was dated Jan third
i Was glad to hear from you, but i Was sory
that Brother thomas death i heard of it
about a Weak ago S F haden got aletter afew
days ago and he told me about it it seams
like all of us wil half to fall in this War
But if it is my fat[e] to go in that Way
i am Wiling go But i hope that this War Wil
soon end so We Wil get Back home again. try and
get som one to take my place rite soon as you get
this and let me no if you can eneyone to come so
nothing more at present rite D Boyd
To Robert Boyd