camp near fredricks berg va
May the 31 63

Dear father I seat my Self this
evening to try to write you
a few lines I received your kind
letter of the 25 a while a go I
was very glad to hear from you
all and hear you was all a bout
this leaves me very poly but
better than I have bin I have
not bin well Since the fight [1]
and I am a feard I never will
be a Sound man any more
I hope when this comes to hand
hit may find you all well
I have no good knews to write
times is hard and the
[page 2]
weather dry and we ar look
ing for a nother fight hear
soon we have bin reinforce
ing for some time the troops
is come ing from NC down hear
the 45 regt is hear our prisners
came in the other day from
fort delawar they say the yan
keys treted them very well
our men and the yankeys
has bin going in a washing to
geather whare we stand pcket
and they ar as friendly as they
ever was they swim backwards
and for wards a cross the river
and trade with each other
[page 3]
I was glad to hear that crops
looked well and that you had
a good crop of evry thing pan
ted and was in good heart of
making plenty I was al so
glad to hear that you had
plenty to do you untile you
geatherd your crop I was very
sorrow to hear of Williams
Browns death but I hope he
has gone to a better world than
this Betsy Ann [2] you wanted to
no something a bout Raleigh
he had a sore arm and want
in the fight and I havent
hern from him since I have
[page 4]
bin So poly ever Since I havent
bin to there regt I must
bring my letter to a close for
my hand is so week and trem
bly I cant write farther you
must write as soon as you
get this and give me all the
knews I want to see you all
the worst I ever did in my
life and if I never see you on
earth I hope to meet you all in
a world a bove So nothing more
only my love and respects to you
all I remain your affectionate
Son til death good by
James M Amos