Guinea Station Va
Dear Pappy Ma Dec the 2 1862
I have and
oppitunity this morning to write
you A few lines to let you
know that I am well and
harty and I hope that you
are all well also I got your
letter that you sent by Mr.
Fuller and I was more than
glad to here from you all
and was sorry to here that
Brother sufferd A great deal
with his hand Mr Fuller
told me that he was affraid
that he would loose the
use of his hand intirlly but
I am inhopse not and he will
soon get well Mit you wanted
to know what I neaded for
winter I have very near enough
clothes I like A coat if you
can getit and one or two pare
of Socks if you can get the
[page 2]
coat make it A frocktail with
the pockets in the side I want
Pappy to make me A pair of shoes
for wee cant get them here
Some have to make them shoes
out of the skins as they skin
the cows and such shoes as
they I do not want and if
you can get the leather make
me A pair you made no
of corn and I want you to
keep it I suppose corn is ting
very high now and every thing
else as I can learn you made
A very good crop of potatoes
I wish that I had some of them
to eat and Brother must bring
me some you wanted to know
if I was willing to take $1.50 [$150]
for dol [1] I dont belived that
I would not take that for you
can sell her next yeare for 2.00 [$200]
just as easy as you can now
[in upper margin]
It looks like that wee will never
draw eny more money
[page 3]
at $1.50 for horses is selling
at Richmond form $5.00 to $8.00 [$500 to $800]
so you had better her if
you can feed her every thing
will be sell higher next year
than it ever was known
before I reckend meat will
be worth from 60 to 70 cents
A pound from what I
can learn that pork is selling
at $30 know and if that is
so it wil be worth $60 before
the close of next yeare so if
you have eny thing to sell
do not be in A hurry to sell
it know for I want you
to have as much as any body
else so I will close about
that I will try to give you
A sketch of our travels wee
have ben marching for 9 dase
and wee have marched 1 50 miles
the first 5 days wee got to
[in upper margin]
Brother must be sure to
bring them Potatoes
[page 4]
in 4 miles of Gordansville and
thare wee stoped thare 2 days
then wee left for fredericksburg
wee marched on 11 miles of that
and wee turnd and wee came
to this place the yankes are
on the other side of fredericksburg
[I] wee expected to have to fight
here but I do not know
wether wee will or not and how
long wee will stay here I cannot
tell I think wee will come
back to Richmond I will close
about that for Teungs cannot
tell what wee have ben through
wee get 4 crackers A day and
A little beef that is half
rasions they all grumble A heep
the smallpocks has ben about
here and the army has ben
vaccinated and it has taken
on me very well I wish that
I had the time to write some more
but I must write soon so I
close J F Coghill