1864
Winchester Virginia Dec 24th
Sister Abby
it only a few days since
I wrote you a letter
and I am a going to write
another one now last
night I receved a letter
frome you and Mother
dated the 18th and wase
very glad to hear frome
you and I got to Greenfield
papers the same as I said
I wase glad to hear frome
you all but I wase
mad to think that
them tarnel postmasters
wont send them boots
the devilsh fools neadent
tell me that thay cant
send them for I know
better in the same mil
[page 2]
that f brought your letter
last night brought to
pair of boots one pair wase
for my tent mate if the
old cuss would only
mail them and send them
along the would be
no more trouble the aint
hardly a mail comes
but that the[y] is boots in
it and we get the
mail every day it makes
me mad to think of
the tarnel fools I have
got to draw a pair of
shoes now just for thair
dam works I dont know
but that you will think
that my talk is rather
plain but it is just as
I think and feel just
now them shirts come
in good shape and fit
[page 3]
first rate and I like them
well and am very thankful
to you for them and I feel
just as thankfull to you
for what you have done
towards sending the boots
for I think that you have all
done your best dont send
them by express I mint
never see or hear frome
them if you did for the[y]
is no express office here
and I dont know as the[y]
is one this side of
Martinsburg you all
want to know what I
had for Thanksgiving and
I thought that I had
wrote you all about
that before but I dont
know as I have well I
had a chicking a good
one to we stuffed it
[page 4]
and hung it up before
the fire place and rosted
it that wase the main
part of our thanksgiving
supper and it wase very
good to the[y] wase turkey
and chickings sent to the
whole army here I have
got a good comfortable
tent with a good warme
fireplace and a good bunk
to sleep on and dont have
have much duty to do
and apon the whole we
live very comfortable it
would do you good to look
in and see us only two of
us together in a tent I
dont know when we shall
ever bee paid off and I
want you to send me
some money if the[y] is eny
left out of that fifty dollars
you had thare but dont
break into eny of the large
bills to send to me
but use them if eny of you
are sick and need it
[1] I will wind up here
by bidding you all a good by
this frome your brothe
[2] Jairus
write soon as you get this