[Written on a form titled "Volunteer Discriptive List of Pay and Clothing for ______"

Camp Near Shanps Burge Md
June the 19 1863
Dear Wife I take my pen in
to Drop you afew lines to inform
you that I am in joying the best of
Except my feat they are Sore a
marching I hope those few lines
may Com Safe to hand and find
you Enjoying the best of helth
Dear Wife I hav No news of any
good to Write you I Crosed over the
river yestaday I didnnt Want to
Com by any means Nor I Dont
like this state by No means
Nor Woldant ov Com if I Cold ov
my Self by any fear means
I am near the place Whear the
other battle Was fought I Want
to Se you the Worst in the World
and I want to Com home if it
Was as I Cold So I Will
try and Com if it is the lords
[page 2]
for me to Com you musant
be oneasy about me and tak the
best Cear of your Self and I
Will the Same I hope the lord Will
spear me to Com and Se you all
again
it Will soon Will be time for
us to Draw again and if I had any Chance
I Wold send it to you for We hav No
Chance of spending it here for they Wont hav it We Will hav gra deal
of hard fighting to Do here but I
hope the lord Will be With us
all you must Writ to me often
for We are in a bad place fore to get
any letters here I havent got er a one
from you in sum time [???] [you?]
lo[v?]e to the old [??] and all of the [fam???]
tel John that I Cold ov got him some
of the best Drums in this last fight
he ever Seen I want him to Com
and S[t]ay With me so I will Close
Write soon Nothing more only [end of letter]