Augustia County Va
Camp on the Shanadore River
March the 26th in 1863
Mr W. P. Neaves
Dear cosin I tak the opertunit of Droping you a short
leter that will in forme you that I am well at pres
ant truley hoping this may come to hand in Dew time
& find you injoying the same blesings I Received your
kind leter yesterday Eavening that was Rot the 15th of Febe
it found me well & doing very well & truley glad to find
that you well & in Such good Sperrits we have on the march
for the Last 15 days & will out 2 or 3 days more we ar resting
to day we have had 3 days & nights Snowe in the last weeak
it was 18 inches deap but ther come a heavey Rain night
befour last & taken the most of it off the River is up soe
we caint cross it now we ar going to Nelson County for feed
there aint aney neus that is Reliable Stuard & lee had a hea
vey batle at Kelleys Mill on the 17th & 18 Neare culpeper C H
Stuard & Lee lost 150 men kild & wounded the yanks
lost the Rise of 300 kild & grait many prisners we lost 40
prisners this Ridg had left Culpeper CH 5 days befour
the figt come off we cold heare the cannading very plaine
I woold not be surprised if we git in to a fight be foure long
I heare the yanks are advancing on culpper I caint tel
how true it is I hope it is all falts for I have bin under fier
as many times as ceare about
[page 2]
Will I wish you was out heare one month with mee
among thos va girles for tha are the boldes set of girles
that you Ever Saw I Expect or tha beat aney that Ever I
saw tha awl say tha waunt to goe South tha give us apple
buter & cow butter to Eat up hear ther haint bin noe
soldiers in this country we git a meales vituals her for 50 cts
&c will I was glad to heare that ther was noe prospect of
a fight at charlston for I herd that the yanks had taken
charlston but I did not bealive it I am glad to heare that
your company is gitting soe larg I shold lik to be in your
companey my selfe will if you git this I Shold like for
you when you Rite home to tel them that I am well
for I havent had a leter from home Since Jane the 8
Rite Soon & give me the nues Direct your letrs as befour
I have to close & goe out & git my dinner I Remain yours
as Ever Rite Soon & obblig
J W Waters to, W P Z F Neaves
J W Waters to J P Neaves Deare cosin I tak this opper
tunitey of Droping you a fue lines in anser to your kind
leter that I Received yesterday Eavening while on the
march & I was truley glad to heare from you & to find
that you well your letter found me well & harty
John I wish I had bin with you at the citey we woold
had a Spree worth naiming if you was out her you
[????] thos girles Every night that is one thing Shore
[page 3]
John while I am Riting the boys are making
the fethers fly of[f] 2 ole hens we are going to have a
pot ove Stewe for diner we are living now but
I doant now how long it wil last for money is a bout
out with this Ridg tel we draw but that is clos at
hand John I waunt to goe home the worst I Ever did
in my life but it will be a nuther 12 months I feare
befour I git to goe for ther is some more hard fiting
to doe hear befour long I think & when tha begin the fit
ting tha will stop furlowes tha doant let but 2 goe at
a time & tha doant give them onley every 30 days G W Nix
will git a discharg I Exspect for his Discharg is Rot
out & gone to head quarters to be assind it may not
be assind he waunts you to tel henry Nix to Rite
to him & for hime to Rite about Eligia Direct his leters
to the 2nd rig S.C.V Cav Co. E in the cer of Capt Deane
Rite to me soone & let me heare all the neus in careo
lina Give my Respects to D. B. Nicol & D, Bailey & all
the boys in Jenerley & Except the same your selfe
I have to Clos for this time by asking you to Rite
I Remain yours as Ever fare well for this time
J W Waters to J P Neaves
[page 4]
John I forgot to tel you that I havent
had but 1 drink ove brandey in 3 months nor I
doant cear if I doant git narey nuther in 3 munthes
more John ther is a nuther thing I wish you woold
come out her for that is this to Eat apple buter
tel J M Carlton that we have a match for him
in this companey & if he will come out we can hav
a big time soe I will clos & try Some chicken
& dumplines
J W Waters
to J Neaves
2nd S.C,C,V, Co E Richmond Va
frank your leters & [??] & see how
tha doe