Dec 19th 1862
Dear Wife I am glad to say that
I am yet alive and well
and I hope that this will
find you and my baby well
I am also glad to say that our
armys close to fedricksburg in this
state have fought the yankes
for four or five days past
and have repulsed them on every hand
in tenesa they have done the same
but I am sorry to say that on the 15th
of this month James guess died he
was walking about and talking
galy as comon all day until a bout
three o clock he was siting by the
fier and just
tumble over and did not
draw but a few breaths
I am also sorry to say that Rick
perce was to be shot to morrow
for desreting but general
Marshal sent a dispatch not
to shoot him until further
orders
Mr Brooks is in jail I dont
know what they will do with him
[page 2]
tell Jack that I cannot do any
thing a bout his money and that
his discharge is lost and they
say he will have to come back
a bout spring to the Battalion
cindy if you have any more
money than you need send it
to Mcelroy if you can do so
rite to me whether you got the
fifty dollars that I sent to
thomas kile by mail or not
you said in your last letter
when this you see remember me
though many miles betwixt us be
forget me not forget me never
til yonder sun shal set for ever

the only answer I have to that is
y. y u are
y y u b
y y u are
i c for me
[page 3]
I would like to see you very well I could
tell you a heep about this country
the people here is not like they are
in georgia they wont sell any thing
for the money they want to give what
they have to spare for something they
need — Jeffersonville is a small
town with about four stores in it
very near surrounded by mountains
in this country there is some of the hi
est mountains that ever
I seen — I rote you a long letter about
our trip to kentuckey I will say
something more about it as we went
on to kentuckey one of captains
peoples men went to get some ap
pels and he has not got back yet
with them and his Wife rites
letter after letter to him and she
sent his clothes to him it seems that
he is not at home the oppinion is that
some body killed him— the orders
when on gard is to halt any body three
times one night when henry was on
he heard some body walking in the
leaves and he called out to them
[page 4]
halt halt halt and bang went
his gun the adjutant ran out of
his tent and called out what did
you shoot at sentinal henry an
swered with a trimbling voice at
some body the adjutant went to
him and I went too henry was
standing at his place and said
when he shot the men run off we
looked for them but could not
see them —well said the adjutant
you have done wright lode your
gun henry said it is loded I
loded it as soon as I shot we
went to our tents and all was
quiet that night

we have had 12 snows
the deepest one was 10 inches
it is very cold and I must
quit good bye
J. A McMurtrey
direct your letters to
Jeffersonville
in place of
Abingdon
good bye