November 25th 1861
Camps near Ivensport [1]
Dear Brother I this Coald Evening
tayk my pen in hand to drop you a
few line to let you know Whear we
ar We ar in one mile of the Potomack
river whear the Yankes ar on the other side
the River they throw their bumshells
at our batries & they try to pass with
their Ships & Skooners I & Tom have
bin don on the Laik a Roolend Cannon
Across it & Wagons I should have roat
before now but I didnot have the chance
times is hard times hear I am not in veary good
health Tom is harty now Ben Warner
has Come he come last Knight & he told
me all about you all I was glad to
hear from you indeed to hear from
you all I am A Studing about Ben &
Charley to Stay at home I expect it
is hard times a[?]hough but it is had
times hear though I Could Stand it finly
if it was not sow Coald hear I dread this
winter if We Stay hear We can bild us
houses in the ground though We may
Stay & we may not Stay well Tobe as I
have got to gow on Picket gard I must
close untell
[page 2]
untell to marrow November 26 1861
tobe their is fore Thousand Yankey nigh
opisite on the other Side of the River &
it is the expecttation of us to have a battle
Just above us on this River or at Manassa
in two days it is about twenty miles from hear & if
it should be the Case that it taiks place
at Manassus we Will have to double quick
their I dont think much about it if We
have to fight our Regment Can do their
shir I fell Ver sad about home When
I think abut how you ar I Can give
an idier how ever thing is at home now
I Was Sarrow to hear that Ben Join
that Company I do not think his heal
the is Sow ficient to stand the Camp
liesf hear if he donot come north
Whear it is sow Coald he may stand
it finly hear & Auburn is quite diferant
aman has Sow much to do hear & Now
Baken hadly all Beef & hit freash
everday it Will Kill some I believe if
they donot qit eating sow much of
it & I thought I Wrote to you to tell
George & Ben & Charley Boon to stay
at home Ben Warner ses Mathew
& the old lady Was boath sick one
not able to Wait on the other I Wish
George had Come with us though I
[page 3]
thought he had better Stay at
Home & I think sow yet Though
his lief may be as safe hear as at home
me & Tom is anoug though to Gow Tobe
if I thought you Could get the Money
I would Send you Some but it is
along Ways to risk money in a letter Tobe I believe
that I Will Risk five dollars to you
I havent got nothing more to Write to you
Know Write soon & give my love to all
the famuly Direct your leters to
Ivening port Iivens port I remain
your Affecttionate Brother Know &
untell death give my love & best
respect to all inquirens friends
tell derham that I Saw one of his
Brothers Stepen Bradley Suns & talk
with him he sed his folk was all
Well When he left home bu[t] his faut
her Was subject to the rumtism &
told him to write to derham son
he sed he Would sow good by
James N Thrower
To Starling J Thrower