Camp Near Stevensburge Feb 5th /63

Dear Father & Mother & Sisters
I take my pen in hand
to write you a few lines to let you
now how I am and about other
things Well I am getting pretty
well again but I am so nurves
this morning that I cant hole
a pen to write with deacent
my feet is very near well I have
got my boots on again so I can
ware them I was over to the
corp Hear Quarters [1] and got
Exmman [2] and they have come
to the conclusion I am not
fit for the feald survers and
they are going to put me in the
Invelid corp so I think it
will be better for me their
[Page 2]
for their will be not so much
marchen to do their for me to go
and carry the napsack on my back
for 15 to 30 miles a day and then
get shot at by the Jonnys.
Well Mother I got your letter
on the Night of the 20th of Jen [3] and
was glad to hear from you that you
ware all well at home and I was
sorrow to hear that Sister Molly
& Frank was sick I hope they
are better when this reach you
I got the Box last night Feb 4th
you me [= may] bet their was some body
was glad when he seen it and
the first thing was as we open
the Box picked up the paper it
said Soldier are you hungrey
well I ges not in a few minets
aftir we went down on them and
it did go moste plaged good and
the first thing I went down on
[Page 3]
was mammes mince pie and ma[de]
my mouth watter. Well every thing
was very nice the pies was broke
a little and it did not hurte them
for I broke them worse in a few
minets the bottle of charres [4] was
broke all to smach [5] with two or three
cakes I had to throw them a way
for the glass was in so small
peaces I could not pick them out
that was all that was hurte in the
box the tools that pap got me was
first strate that awl he sent me
all of the Officre want it they wan
to now how much is coste they
want to send for one. Well gess
I had a good home maid Brekfast
this morning some fride scraple and
good bread and butter if you had seen me
go in to it you thought I did not now i
eat it for it was so good. Well I am
very much a blige to you for it te[ll?]
you are better paid for it
[Page 4]
So I will have to come to a close so
I can get it in the mail for it goes in
one houre. Well I was streck me when
I look at the letter and saw the writting
I could not make it out till I open
it and then I seen ware it was from
So give my best respects to Mrs S. E.
Woodard and I am very much a blige
to her for writing to me for mother
and I would write a few lines to her if my
hand was not so shakey So give my love
to Mrs Apple and tell her I am very much
a blige to her for wat she sent to me and
all so Sarah Matlack It was very nice
So give my love to Anty & Becky Joice
and all of my inquiern Friends
So good by and my love to you all
From your Son
Wm A Smith
you must excuse me for such bad
writing for I am so nurvers that
I cant hole a pen in my hand to write W.A.S.