Oct the 21 th 1864
in camp near newmaket

dear companion I sete m[y] Self to
write you afew lines to let you no
that I am tolerble well and I
do hope these few lines may find
you in [&?] dock in good helth and
doing well I can tel you that I
am broke down my feete is all blisted
and my legs is stiff and I hav
Sufferd more than I ever did in
my life I can tel I was in another
hard fight [1] the hardest fight tha
we ever had yet I com out safe
again me and Franklin Lashmit [2]
is to gether not hurt but both broke
down we attachted the yankeys
the 19th before day and run them
back about 3 or 4 mils kiling and
taken lots of them and cap[t]ureing
ever thing tha had and then tha
reinforced and giv us the worst
whiping we ever had and run
[page 2]
us back and we ar runing yet
we hav run back about 35 miles
and hav stop to rest alittle and
get to gether we was scaterd ever
wher through the mountains
and tha kild and wonded lots
of us and taken lots of prisners
I supose tha is about one houndrd
men in my Redgment and 10 in
my company Alexander Wasner [3]
Robert Fisher Franklin Spaugh [4]
and 5 or 6 more is all mising
you can tel Mr Hedrick that I
think his son was taken prisner
the last he was seen the yankeys
was all a round him I my Self
run and keep all my tricks that
I had got I run a bout 5 milse
and tha rund me through the river
twise the river was about 50
yards wide and it was waist
deep to me but tha never got me
[page 3]
and I had to lay down weet and
tha was a big frost that morning
and I had no fire and but one
blanket you may no how I far
now I will tel you what I
capturd I got a pocket book with
44 dollars of green back and a nap
sack and a blanket and a good oil
chloth and pare of boots and
severl other little tricks and
little pocket knife I do wish I
had my things at home but I
glad that I Say I com out safe
for tha was lots of our men
kild I dont see how I ever
com our safe for the bullets and
grape and shel com so thick and
tore up the men the pecs of
flesh flew all over me and the
men fel all a round me thck
the dead lay thick for bout 6 miles
long and 2 miles wide I tel how
[page 4]
meny thousand was kild
but tha was a Site I want
you to let fathers see this leter
and I want them to write to
me I hant had no letter from
home yet but I hope I will
son get one this is 4 that I rote
so I will close for this time
by saying rite Soon and giv me
all the nus you can So I
remain your tru hous band
until deth Jesse Hill
to Emoline Hill
direct to Richmond
the 21 th Redgmet
Co K Hokes
old Brigade