Camp Jeter Dia[scan?] Bridge, VA,
March 14th 1863
Dear Sister
it is with mutch pleasure that
I now seet my self to pen you a few
lines which I hope will find you and
family well Brother Benjamin and my self
are bothe enjoying very fine helth at presant
Dear Sister I received yours most kind and
affectionate letter some few days since it
afforded me great joy to hear from you
and also that you were well I am now back
to the old Company about fifteen miles from
Williamsburg and about Fifty or fifty-five miles
from Richmond, va. I like this place very well
they People in general are mighty clever to us
but our dewty is purty heard onn us I hav been
out now seven days onn dewty & I hav just
arived at camps last knight I tell you
I thought yesterday was the coldest day I ever
expearanced in my life it was snowen off
and onn all day and scouting about sutch
a day as that I tell you it are no funn
[page 2]
all through I am in very good heart yet
for I beleive if any man can stand a soldiers
life I can to, but I will tell you they
trooth I would hav liked very well to a
come home before I left Richmond for I
known if I did not get off to come
home before I went back to the old
company it would then be a bad old
egg as towards getting off to come home
with any excuse if it were to get married
but I presume that you are opposed to it if
so I am, untill further orders do not you
think it would be all for the best
Dear Sister we are all hope up powerfull
with the thought of Comeing back to
old South Carolina again shortly it is
rumerd in camps hear amongest the officers
and privates so that we are orderd back
to South Carolina Old Genl Ivens says he
will be d d if he dont have the Cavalry
of the Holcombe Leagion back again and
we is now under old Genl Wise, and he has
applied to the secretary War for a battalion of
[page 3]
Virginia Cavalry they got him to do so they
reason why they wants get hear we are
right at there home and settlement they
Cavalry whoom he has applied for are with
Genl Stewerd and I think takin bothe
points in consideration we stand a great
chance in comeing back to South Carolina
or either go to old stewerd as Cavalry
one or the two and I trust to God it
will fall to our lot to go back to So, Ca,
Rachel Dear Sister it is the news hear that
they are expectin another battle at
Fredericks burg shortly they say that the yank
hav got reinforcements there and that they
is a going to give us another triall at that
point we hav no army there only good
old Jackson and his Corps and that is
enough for them if tha but will
try him he has never failed yet
Rachel I believe I hav told you all
the news out hear for satisfactions
to you I was very sorry to hear
of Papa being so very ill with his diseases
[page 4]
but thank God he is onn his recovery
from bed Brother Ben hav just received
a letter from him last knight stating
that he had been very low and had not
been able to git out of the bed yet
I wish it were so that I or Ben could
be there to assist him or bothe of us
but it are so that we cannot be with
him but we are not they only ones that
have been separated they are thousand that
hav been sepperatid and many of them
hav met withe there doom onn the
Battle field and now there bones are
bleaching in the sun but Dear Sister
thank God that I hav been spaired so
far yet and I hope for some good perpous
Ben sends his best respects to you and uncle
Johnsons fammily and give them my respects
to after keeping a portion for your self
write to me when ever you can I am anstious
to hear from you at any time I will close
good by for this time I still remains as ever
yours affectionate Brother till death Samuel W. Jefcoat
Mrs. Rachel. E. Jefcoat