Centerville va December 18th 1861

To mrs. Everett
Dear ma
it is with Great Pleasure that
itake my pen in hand this morning
to Drop you afew lines to imforme you
how we air geting on Pa & Brother
is Both Sick Pa is going to the hospatal
he will get ADischarge from thair
and go home to you he is not
Able to Stand it thrue the winter
it gose mity hard with the young
men it is about all they can
do to Stand it icant tell you when
iwill Come home imay never Come to
See you any more But ihope iwill
Bee Able to Stand it thru the Battles
and Come out Right and gain the
victory imay Bee the first man
kild though imay not get hit with
the yankies Balls if ido get kild in
the Battle field my Bones will mold
Some where in virginia icant tell
when itrust in god to Protect me
in the Battle field if he Sees Proper
that ishould get kild no living
man can help it and if it is
not his will that ishould not get kild
idont Care for the Balls itrust that
we may all live to get to oure
homes again and Set Down By
the same old fire and See Some
Satsfactin and Peace at home
[page 2]
idid once think that Peace would
Bee made with out the fire of
another guns But ido not think
that way now nor no other living
man would not if they Could Just
here what Ido we got Orders last
night for Every man to load his
gun and Put on Caps [1] on them and the
artlry went on to the Brest works
and got fixt right all the Regiments
that is in winter quarters is orderd
her to Centarville By to morrow
morning at 8 oCLock icant tell you
what we will do <??> have got to
have 40 Cartirgers and 50 Caps we
will make a spoon or spile a horn [make a spoon . . . horn = succeed or fail]
one or tother icant tell which
if we have afight we will give
them the D V and if idont get [devil]
kild iwill write to you again
and if ido get kild you must
Pray for me to meet you in heaven
if we Dont have afight here to
morrow I will write to you and tell
you what all the loss was for
I think it is to See how many will
Say they air Sick if they fight
I will kill all ican you must not
forget me tell Buck houdy for me
tell him to keep my litle goats
fat for me if idont get kild
nor dont die hear iwill Come
home Some tim or other icant
tell when you must write as soon
a you get this
[page 3]
Iwill Send my finger Ring and
Bress Pin home By Pa iwant
Buck to have the Ring till I Come
home and the Baby to have the
Bress Pin Nothing mor at Preasent
Only iremain youre Son un till Death
Direct youre leter to Richmond Va,
in the Care of Captin G. W. Wimberly
11th Regiment Ga Volunteerse H. C. V
Company K
Write Soon
John.. A.. Everett