[1] Dear wife sisters and brothers
I now take the opertunetey
of wrighting a few lines
to tel you now that
we are all well hoping
thease few lines will finde
you the same as thay leave
us at present I receved
your kinde ande welcome
letter dated Dec 10 and
was glad to hear that
your ware all well
Camp Marcy Dec 16
18 61
[page 2]
I receaved your shirtes
on satturday and thay
ware welcome thay are
a very good shirt thay
are just the kinde
I am now all right
fore this winter I got
your [?????????] also
I hav not got much news
of aney note to let
you now of just now
I may hav before you
get this letter we are
wating orders six of
our companeys went out
last night about twelve
o clocke and two rigmentes
of infintrey it is sade
that smithes bregade
went out tow it is
reported that thay are
gooing to farefax
[page 3]
the troopes all
arounde hear are kept
in redeness two moove
at aney minnet thay
are not drilling us
much to day as thay
want us two rest
both horses and men
we are now verey
comfortable hear we
hav the big round tents
we hav a stove in
it thare is ten and
twelve in a tente
the stove coste us
six dollers thay are
miserable looking things
thay are nothing
but sheet iron thay
are all open oven
thay are made out
of stove pipe iron
[page 4]
the stoves are twelve
by forteene one thing
in our faver that is
wood is plentey
but we hav got two
cut it our self thare
is a nuf to do it
if all woulde do
thare share I may
be able to let you
now how our partey
made oute thare two
day before iseele my
letter up

I remane your affection
Husband and brother
William Band