In Camp on Ceder Creek
VA Oct 15th 1864

Dear Father & Mother
As I have some spare time
to day I think that I can occupy
it to no better atvantage
than by writing a few lines
to let you know that I
am still amonxt the living
and well as for news I
havent much of late the rebs
keep very quiet lately
the[y] is some a hovering
aroung like a fish hawk
redy to pounce on to
a small force if thay got
a good chance and dred to
I dont think think that
we shall have eny more
so hard battles as we have
[page 2]
had we have had some
hard fighting but as
luck would have it thay
have all turned out in
our favor that is all in
this vercinity and so for
I have got along without
a sch scrach I have wrote
three or fore letters since
the fight at Winchester and
have not herd a word
frome eny of you perhaps
you have not receved them
I wrote one to you and one
to Betsy and one to Sumner
if the[y] dident eny of them
get through you must all
think that I am amonxt
them that wer I aint
agoing to write eny news
for I haint got eny this time
I want some of you to get
some cloth and make me
[page 3]
some flanell shirts
some good warm ones
you neadent bee very partickular
about the nicety of them
then I gess that a good pair
of boots would go good this
winter but you can get
them but not send them
till yet for I dont know
whare we will bee I will
let you know when I want
them the[y] is one thing
more I want to find out
when I was at Morganza
last summer I sent a letter
home and sent my old
discharge one that we all
got by reanlisting and have
never herd frome it and
never could think to
write a word about it
before so when some of you
write let me know if
[page 4]
you ever got it
I have have have
I have been over to the
thirty fourth more than
a dozen times to see if
Nathan had got back but
he dont seem to yet
John and Mike Murphy
wer both wounded the
other day and Mike is
a prisoner and John had his
leg broke so the boys told
me in thair company
I gess that I shall have to
stop now for this time
write as soon as posible
all of you so good by
This frome your boy
Jairus T Hammond
Good By

[???] [1] I wase in a fight the
19th Oct and got
off safe

[2] PS
Boots
No. 8 calf
about the
same as theem
that Still
had of
me
last
spring
JTH