Winchester va March the 30 1862

My Dear Mary I take this opportunity to let you
Know that I am Well and I hope these few lines may
find you all injoying the same blessing Mary I
got yours and the boys minature and the money
you sent me I Was pleased all most to death
I Was so glad to see my Dear once more Mary I
am living in the great rebel rendervous Winchester
evry thing here all most is rebel this day one Wek ago
today Shields drove Jackson out of here they had
a very hard battle three Miles out of town
We came in too days after Jackson left Banks
fel in With shields the next day after the fight here
and they have bin runing them evry since
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they have run Jackson and his army 32 miles from here
they fit all the Way I have not bin on the battel
field yet gorg has thou the rebels got a sound
thrashing this time Mary We ust to think that
it Was hard to see one person dead but Mary I have
seen afful sits since I Cum here Mary I Was passing
down stret the other day and I looked in a Window
i Was mutch surprised to see 40 ded soldiers
union and rebels piled up together like
so many hogs their is a great meny ded and Wounded
here now it looks like a butcher shoup in the
hospital their is mens legs and arms alaying around
in piles Whear they have bin cut off and throde
down Mary Wee Was very near getting in to
a fight there but now I have no hops of
getting in to it the rebels is 32 off
towards richmond our Company is living
in a larg tavern cauld Our House
We have bige times their is 16 roomes
in the house it Was a rebel tavern
Mary tell pap if he sees bill Boncutter
tell him that his Brother martin is a
rank sesesh he belongs to the melisia
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Mary I Want to see you all so bad it
semes like a year since I have sene home
but I still think I Will get home soon
if I have no bad luck you must keep in
good hart for I try to but it is hard
Work some times. it maks me feel Well
When evry I get a letter from you Dear Mary
you must rite very often or I Will get out
of hart I have not got avery good Chance
to rite to you but I Will rite as offtin
as I Can but you must no Wait on me
you spoke of me going off With some other Woman
I expect I Will take up With one their som
very fine girls here I Was to see one the other
night to get her to Wash for me Mary
I Will have to bring my letter to a Close
My Dear Mary you must be shure to rite
offten for I feel lost When I dont get
letters often from you Dear Mary I Will stop
Writing for this time no more but remains
yours till death Joseph Diltz to Mary Dilts and E F Diltz
and the big boy good by Dear Mary dont forget me
good by good by Dear mary good by farwell mary