Virginia December th 24 1862
Dear Sister I Received your
Kind Letter Last Monday and to
to night I received Lavina kind Letter
Stating that you was getting A box
reddy to send to us Soildiers with
some eatibels I must tel you that we
have not yet received it but we are
looking for it
And I must tel you that I am in
A hurry for we have Marching
orders and we are just paking our
things in our napsacks but we dont
know ware we are A going but I think
we are going to black water
plese tel Clayton Smith that I have
rote two letters to him and he
wassant man A nuff to send one
anser
And so I must bring my letter to
A Close I am well and hope that
these few lines may find you the
Same Excuse bad riting for I
hant got the table to right on as
I had at tome
Elias W Gilmer