Army of the Patomac
Oct 2nd 1861

Dear Brother
I reckon you will think it
straing that I did not pay the postage
on my other letter I could not make
the change so I just thought you could
pay it very well at home as it all come
out of a pardnership pocket and if
it did not go you would not have any
thing to pay you must not think that
I have no money for I have some seven
dollars yet Mr Davidson came to see
me yesterday and to day too He
came in Camp day before yesterday
I was glad to see him as he was one
of my best Friends I would have been
glad to have seen Pa with him but
I reckon Pas has too much to do as
he is weak handed The Box that Pa
sent to Daniel and myself came sunday
Mathew Sheltman got lost but Jim
Holly found it on monday It had been
broken open at Fairfax Station and
it had been open in the 4 Regment where
I got it but I dont think their was but
very little taken our the Boys has not
[page 2]
come back from on Picket but I
look a little for them this Eaven but
I dont know if they will come or not
I am in hopes they will come for if they stay
away much longer I will have there things
Eat up both of the Boxes got wet com
-eing to Staunton as it Rained all day
on them and the cakes were molding
when I opened Mathews Box so I dryd
them in the sun and have Eate a good
many too (and I send some Peaches and
cakes down to Mathew and Daniel last
night by two of the Company that same
up from the Camp (they were both well yet
-day Eave about dark So you must tell
Mrs Sheltman that I have been living high
on the cakes She Made for Mathew but I
I hope I will have some for him when he
gets back to our camp again They left
last Thirsday morning and I have not seen
them sience where the Reg went first was
about sixteen miles from here but they
are now about 6 miles they fell back
the second night after they went down
on Picket so as to give the yankeys a
[page 3]
chance to follow them up but I dont
think the yankeys has much notion of
following them up I took Breakfast
with James Robert he is well and said
he wrote to you yesterday I was over
to see William Lackey a few days ago he
looks better than I ever saw him I think
he is as fleshy as I ever saw him Samuel
Lyle has been sick but he is mending [aza?]
Givens and Wm Davidson are well too
they seem to stand camp life very
well
Dear Sister
The Box you all sent me
come in very good time for I had been
trying to get some Butter for most
a week and could not get any we
can get Butter most any time but I
dont like the looks of the most of
it when we were up at the other camp but since
we came here corn and beens aint hard to [Eate?]
here when we get them but they are like every
thing Else scarce and I had not seen a Peach
for nearly two week before yours came yet
it seems to be a Peach country down here
[page 4]
for their is so many Soldiers about here
that they keep every thing swept clean our
of sight the People here will but seldom
sell their Roasten Ears Their is Eggs brought
in our Camp most every week they sell at
20 and 25 cents Potatoes at one dollar per bushel
The Boys came back from the Pickets yesterday
they all got back safe and seemed well pleased
down there I would like to have went down there
but I think it is well I did not go for it
Rained several times while they were gone
the Boys said that they got plenty of corn and
Potatoes Tell Susie Sherrod a piece of this dwarf
Cypress is for her and a pice for you and the
rest for Bettie and little Susie so you must
try and make and Equal devide I want
to try and send some of it up there so you
all can set it out in the garden It grows
wild in the woods give my best wishes to Pa
and all the rest of the Family and tell
them I will try and write to all of them
when I get the lazyness of[f] me It seems from
the way you all write that you thought I could come home
I was a free man
once but it is not so now we are all slaves and are
oblige to get our passes or take a French that is –
[continued upside down in top margin]
we will have to run off and you may guess
wi will never do that If I dont get home till
my time is out and then I will come home
if nothing happens more than we know of at
Presant yours most Truly J. J. Hileman
[added upside down at top of page 3]
the next time I write to you Dear Sister
my next letter is due Pa and I will write it soon
if nothing happens
[added at top of page 2]
Bettie their is too much of a stir for
me to write to you and Annie good by
my love to you all tell Aunt Tilda and [her?]
baby and Annie howdy for me and I would like
to see them all