[1] Camp near yorke
town va April
7 18 62
Dear wife sisters
and Brothers I
now take the
oppertunety
of wrighting a
few lines to you hoping
thay will finde you
all well as thay leave
us at present I receved
your letter dated the 22 March
our Richard the 23 [??] Heue
Rea dated the 23 I
got them this morning
thay hav bin delade
some ware but thay
ware vereay exceptable
[page 2]
Heue says he has taken
the shep fore another year
i hope he may do well
by it i am vereay
soreay to hear that annay
is sick i hope she will
get well
we left our
camp near hampton
on friday morning
we stoped at youngs
mill all night with
out meiting with the
enemey we were then
siven miles from yorke
town we started next
morning but we did
not get so fare our
men met them about
[page 3]
theree miles from yorke
twon but thay drove
them back we are now
encamped three miles from yorke
town the rebles are verey
strong hear thay are
well fortifide thay hav
some verey heavey guns
stashend hear we are
doing nothing to day not
hardley a gun fired to
day but it may commence
at aney minet we are
expecting our gun boates
to come up then it
will commence thay
say thay ware in sight
yesterday we shall
hav some warme worke
[page 4]
giv my Best respects to
all the folks our Boys
are anskes to get at the
rebles thay want to get
we had several wounded
on satturday thay had some
warme worke i think
the rebles lost a good
menney as our sharpe
shooters ware picking
them off we hav a
grate meny men hear
we hav canen coming
in continuley we are
giting hever guns
now our men our
throwing up brest work
to protect them thare is
two ore three deserters
came in from the rebles
thay say the rebles are going
to make thare finel stande
heare direct fortress monrow
ore else wa[r?] Wm Band
[page 5]
we had a miserable
time coming hear the rodes
was so bad fore our infintry
to get along it was so
modey the infintrey was
obliged to throw thare
some of thare clothing
away ouer cotes in grate
nombers shirtes bootes
some of the best over
cotes i saw hundred
thay threw blankets away
in grate numbers it was
a pitey to distroy theme
thay threw them in the
mud and thay ware trampled
i hear cannon gowing
off you asked mee one
qusstion Mc Cleland
was not with us at manass
the weather hear is wet now and
colde it is colde night and
morning heavey dews [cold?] rane
[page 6]
I will be verey glad
to hear that evrey thing
is gowing on well with
you all to know that
you hav got my letter
the weather hear is much
better then it has
fore some time i hope
that we shall be in
yorke town in a few
days I hav not had
the pleasure of seeing
a reble yet thoe
thay fetch prisner
their our camp
I am wrighting
this by moone ligt
so I must close
fore the present
[page 7]
nine 9 oclock
Morning April the 8.18.62
it has bin one miserable
wet night it [still?] [conting?]
so everey thing is quiet
yet it will make it bad
fore our artilrey to get
along this sofe weather
it will delay the seage
of yorke town
[page 8]
is harde on the horses
thay hav had verey litle
feed thare is some coming
you will get all the news
of our movements in the
enquirer as we hav a
reporter hear from that
paper is is geting nearley
time fore the maile to gow
so i must close
[page 9]
[2] General M Clallan with
you when you first whent
to manassas I must close my
letter [Marea?] Crouther sends
her love to Ned tell him
to write their is a report
that the letters are young to
stop coming I hope thay will
no I do not know what I
will do if I cant get a letter
for it keeps me up it is
all moste 11 oclock so good night
and God bless you and protect
you and o that your life
may be spared that I may
see you a gain give my love
to Will tell him John as
got his letter i remain
your affectionate Wife
Mary A Band
to my Husband
William Band
[page 10]
[3] anne sends her love to you
Richard thinks he whould
like to see you Heue and Lide
are well thay weill soone have
one more aded to their familey
I think I must close write as soone
as you can and let me know
how you are I expect you have
got my 2 last letters before
this I whould like to see you before
long good night and God bless
you and o that his arm may
be around you and protect you
is the preare of your affectionate
Wife Mary A Band
to my Husband William Band

Ps give my love to our Will tell
John got his letter