August 14th 1862
White Oak Swamp Va 14 miles
East ove Richmond
Mr Wm P Neaves Deare cosin it is with
the gratis ove pleasur that I tak the present
opertunitey ov Riting you a fue lines to let
noe that I am well at present & I truly hope that
thes lines will come safe to hand & find you injoying
the Same like blesings I Received your kind leter
last night & was truly glad to heare from you
& the boys but very sorey to heare that you had soe
much Sicknes in your companey I hope the boys will
awl soon be well will I have noe neus to Rite to you
more than what you have heard or will heare be four
this comes to hand will we have bin out on a scout
tin partey 3 days & our boys got 5 shoots at the yan
keys but kild narey one tha wounded 3 ove them tha say
we was at melvin hill when it took place tha
throad a shell at us but it never bursted it struck
the ground a bout 50 yds from us tha was 2 other
companeys out & tha got in to a fight abuve us tha
tha kild 4 yankeys & took 6 prisners & tha had one
taken a prisner it is a bad looking site to see a pas
sel ove men laying dead in the hot sun & have to lye
ther some 3 or four days befour tha are burried
west fields men got a yankey prisoner yesterday & his
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hors, bridle & Sadle & a Repeatin Rifle that shoots 800 yds
& a Repeater & sworard he was a united stats soildier
he had bin in service 5 years lacking 2 months his time
woold bin out in sept tha caut a nigrow two Just
befour tha caut the yankey he was going to the yankeys
we are at the place now wher Mackclenin had his head qu [1]
arters when the 7 days fight comenced Will I wish you was out
heare long a nuff to look over the batle ground it is a
sit to look at ther is more clothing scattered a Round the
batle fields than Ever I saw I waunt you to come out &
see us & see how you woold like this is the place for fiting
Will this Swam[p] is the place wher Mack cut out
from our men when tha had him serrounded we will
stay her some 8 days & then we will goe up to hanover
court hous some 25 miles a buve hear & stay 10 days & then Return
back a gain head quarts is up ther we are assind to hamp
tons leageon ther is 10 companeys ove us now when we are
awl to gether ther 5 companeys down hear now wil G W
Nix waunts to find our wher henery Nix is & Rite in
your next leter wher he is & what his office is &c he sends
his best Respects to you & awl the boys him & J K Kelley
ar both complaining but going about we have 6 men
off sick T D Westmoreland is sick at Richmond J K [???]
send his best Resp to you & the boys Jenerley
[page 3]
Give Andy [???] Waldrip my best Respects & tel them
to Rite to me & let me hear from them tel D Bailey
that I have not for got him yet & woold like to heare
from him I must clos for the mail is going our
I Remain your loving frend tel Death
Rite soon if you pleas & give me awl
the neus a bout charlston we caint git none
heare I waunt to noe when you goe up to see
your Sweatey Soe I may noe what was the mater
with her I Remain yours truley

John W Waters to
to W P Z, F, Neaves

Doant for git to Rite soone & oblig yours

[page 4]
Will sed you had not got a leter from your diner
in a month I doant noe what is best for you to doe
but if I was you I woold goe & see what was the mater
for she mit git out ove the notion & that woold bad
I have heard ove some ove the girles fling the track
since the war broak out & maby your sweeatey has done
gon the same way you had better Rais the blockaid &
goe & see her & tel her to hold on if she can tel the war is over
if she can & if not you must take her fourth with is awl
I can tel you to doe thats the way I wold doe for ther is noe
wimen a bout hear I haint saw but 2 whit wimen
since I have left Richmond but I hope I will see
Some more some wher if doant I will leave them
with the bag to hold Will we have bin without
tents 10 days to day but last night we found one ove
Macks tents that left when tha Run & we will doe
prety well now Will tha have come in with a nother
nother prisner tha ar gitting one Ever day or soe you must
Rite to me as soone as this comes to hand & let me heare
from you awl Direct your leters to Richmond va
tel we chang it we wil git our leters from ther
for a while I have Just Eat the master bait of
Rosten Ear soop that you hav saw latley we have
had 2 baits off soop since we have bin heare