Head Quarters 1st Divs Co[r]ps Dec 13/63

Dear Father & Mother & Sisters
I take my pen in hand
to write you a few lines to let you
now that I received your kind letter
last night and was glad to hear
that you ware all well at presant
Well I have not bin very well
this twoor three days I am fraid
that that same old desease is
comming on me that I had
last winter but it did not
come on me as soon as this
last year for to day one year
ago we were fighting the
battle of Fredricksburg and
I was dodgen the balls in stead
of writting a letter home for
now we are in winter Quarters
it has bin rainning all night
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and it has nearly flood us out
for we have not got our shanty
fixed get to keep the rain out
Well we have left the plaice that we
ware at when I wrote to you before
Dec 5th we started on the march again
and march to Stevensburg in Culpeper
county. Va that is about 5 miles and
camp for the night and expection
to have a little brush with the Rebs
thair for they under took to come
a cross the river near their but
they scedadle back again Dec 6th
there is now change going on to Day
Dec 7th we moved camp about 2 miles
back in the woods and maid Head
Quarters in a big pine woods
Dec 8th we comence to build a log
house and we have bin worken
at it by speles ever since when
we can get a hole of a axe for they
are in a greate demand now for
every one wants to get his done
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first and the officers want theirs
done before we can get the tools
but if we had a two boards for eves we would hav
ours done so it would not make
much differnce when we get the
rest done we have got a big fireplace
in it. We[ll] I ges I have written you
a nufe this time. So i will give my
love to you all So good by and write
soon give my love to all of my friends

From Your Son
Wm A Smith
Stevens burg
Culpeper County
Va

[1] I donte feel like writting to day for I have got
the Headecke

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[2] I have sent you the
last poste stamp that
I have got will you please
send me some