Nov the 7th 1861 [The regiment was in West Virginia at this time.]
Miss Mary Hodnett
Dear sister I now
take my pen in nd
to yours which I rec
yesterday and read them
with the greatest pleas
ure I was truly
glad to heare that you
are all up Mary I am as
well as you ever saw
me I recon well Mary
I take a new start this
morning it was so dark
that I could not see
the lines I would not have
comments last night but
Mr cartright said that
he should start home
this morning but declined
till morning Mary I have no
news of importance to rite this
[page 2]
morning we have been fighting
four or five days up here with
the cannon but has not hurt
any thing much I dont think
the yankeys is on one side of
the river and we on the
other side they are fixing up
for winter there but I dont
think that we can stay here
provision is so far off and
they have the canoy valey
to get thire provisions to
say the least of it I cant
tell any thing about the
war only as it comes the
officers dont now any thing
about it well to change the
subject you ast me to tell
you some thing about our
cooking we are geting so
we can cook finely I can
cook as nice biscuit as you
can I exspect though we
[page 3]
dont have any thing to cook
but biscuit and beef we have
got in good practice cooking
of that it is not hard
to cook well enough of that
you ast me to send you some
thing of the groth of this moun
tain but Mr cartrightes leave
ing so much soner than I
expected I had not time
to get any thing more than
grwes there. well mary I
must hasten on I receved
my close by Mr cartright
and I was truely glad to
get them for I was near
ly without I have never got
the others yet but Lieut
cartright has gone after
them now all you liked of
sending me enough was a pare
of shoes I am nearly bare
footed but I will get
a pare in a few days now
[page 4]
well I will pass on tell
the girls and all I will
not forget them for those
chestnuts and chinkapins that
they sent to me tell them
all houdy and I want
to see them and all of you
I hope that I can get to
see you all between now
and spring I want to get
a furlo between now and
christmas if I can well
I must bring these lines
to a clos tell father I
have not drawed any wages
yet but we may this evening
and if he neads it I will send
it to him if I cant go my
self nothing more at
present only I remain
your brother till death
John W Hodnett