verginia Dec 27 1863

Camp near Brandy Staition
Dear Brother
I will write a Few liens
this presend Sunday for passtime
i was on picked laste neight for the
first time and i had a Goot neight
of it my orderes was not to leave
enny Body over the line and to halte
one if he wanted to pass in over the
line and to Shoote him if he
whoundend Stop i tell you that i
watched for a Jonny reb if ever
i whould hat the lug [1] to See one he
whould to Cached it for i hat a
Goot loate in my Musked and So
force [2] Further i will let you know
that i am well at presend time
hoping when this Comes to hand it
may find youens all the Same at
home i was writing to neute Hartman
[page 2]
a Boute Coming home But i gess
that is falling throue for this times
But i will write whenever it Should
happen that i Should Com home But
it mite happen Before Spring and
So Force Further i will let you know
that i Seene a neegro that Came over
ouver picket line to traite and Sell
Some Jickens and turkeys aggs and
Butter and what do you think thay
Didend take enny thing But greane
Backs one of ouver men wanted to
Give him Som Goot Confedrate
monny and he refuste to take it
he wanted to Give him five Dollars
for a Jicken and he whouendend
take it they Solte thare turkeys
for 100 and Jickens thay Solte for
75 cts a pece and for aggs
they got 50 cts a doucence for Buter
[page 3]
thay got 60 cts and ouver men
ask him what he hat to pay
for a Barrel of flouver and he
Said he hat payed fifty
Dollars for a Barrel a few Days
a go But he hat payed it in
Confedrate monney and So force
But i should like if whould
Semde me a Box of Something to
eate i am getting tiard of ouver
rashing you may Send me a Box
that waighes a Boute 25 or 30 pounds
and pay the expresesh on it and
in a few Days i will Drau Som
monny then i will Send you
the pay you may Send me Som
putens Send me little of every
thing But Donte forget to put
Chewing tobacco in and
then i will Send you the monny
[page 4]
Send it as Soone as you Kin
then you will much oblige Derect
the Box as you Du my letters
So write Soone and Send the
Box Soone i remaine your Brother
as ever

this leaves Me well
Hoping it may finde
youens all the Same
at home
So Goot Bye

S, P, Hartman
Co. E. 49. regt. P. V.
1st Division, 6.th Corps
washington, D, C,