Camps Near Rapardan Station Va
May the 17th 1863
Dear and affectionet wife I seat my
Self this Day to Drop you afew lins to
enform you that I am in tolerble
good helth at this time hoping those
few lins may Come to hand
in in Due time and find you
and family all well and Doing
well I have Nothing of much
intrust to right to you at the
present I hope that you have got the
letters that I have sent you
laitley we have had averry averry
hard [???] [???] [???] [1]
150 mils we ar Stopt to Day
awhile I Caint Say where
we ar going to so ther is Some
of of the Boys that Bee longed to the
regt that left us on the march
ther Names was John John Slone
Bill Ennes Bob Adams and Bud
Lamb and James Rice
[page 2]
I wount to see you and the children
verry Bad and I hope that the time
will soon Come when peace will Bee
maid tell Mother and and Stepfather
that tha must exscuse me for Not
righting to them Now at this
time for I have not got time to
right much News I will right to
them Just as Soon as I git the
Chaince I wount them to right to
me off often I wount you to
right to me Just as soon as
you git this letter and right
off often [??] right haw all
[???] doing [??] [So?] [??] for [2]
the present Direct your letter to
Richmond Va I Send afew lins
to Dr McKnight give them to
him So good By for this
time
Leut E B Coggin
I will Send Dr Mcknights letter
By henderson