Camp near fredericks burg
December the 9 1862
Dear wife I this Evening Seat my Self
to anser your kind leter which I recived
the 6 of December and was glad to
Hear that you was all well at that
time and Would have bin Regoiced
and bin glad to Hear the news
I want to Hear you Stated in your
Leter that the conscrips had to leav
I am Sory to think that any more
have to come out for if they have
there will bee [??] [hant?] [???][next?] [1]
year but it hant my opinen that
they will have to go I think they
Will make peace this spring yet
I can informe the enemy is stil
redy to attact us and if they do there
Will be Some blud Spilt for I can
Inform that we have About
three hundred thousand soldirs around
this plase and I think if there is
no fite in A few days there wont by
any this winter I can inform that
[page 2]
that we have cold wether at this
time and plenty snow it fel the 5
and all lies yet I can inform that
I was on brigade gard last nite and
by this you may know that I am stil
in the land of the living and I
hope when those few lines come to
Hand they may find you all in
good health and when you rite to
Me I want to know whether you got
that feel seeded in wheat or not
and I would like to know who you
got to do your I want you to
hire some person to chop and hal
you plenty of wood an to do your work
and pay them for it for I know that
you have plenty to do til you tend
to feeding the things and do your
Hous work and all you have plenty
to do and to Much for this confeder
ate Money wont be good long for the
prices of things Shoes that it aint
Counted much now for we have to
pay two prices for all we bye
[page 3]
I can inform you that we have to
bye some things to eat Molasses is
$ 8 per galon we pay for corn meal
25 cts A quart apels $ 1 25 cts
A dusen Sweet taters 15 Cents A
dusen irish tater 25 Cents A dusen
Cabbags $ 1.50 Cents A head Salt
one doler A quart I can inform
you that I cant eat any beef at
this time I am tierd on beef and
if any person comes out here I want
you to Send me some buter and
some brandy and I can inform
you that I got My gloves Stolen
and if you Can nit me A par
and Send them to me I would
like very much I can inform you
that Captain vine [2] and lieutenient
yont [3] is out of ofice they got Disoner
ly dis charged and I can say that
that vine has rogade [4] the government
out of about $ 600 Dolers and
he is one of the bigist raskels in
this world so turn over
[page 4]
I can inform you that I think
that there will be A alteration
before long for they want to Make
up A standing army and I can
inform that I saw Miles yont
and David Shock and franklin
and David Huffman and firl
and all the neighbers boys
So I expect that I will come
home to visit you and the boys
if its gods will So excuse my
bad Riteing and Speling
So I mus Come to A Close by
asxing yo to rite as Soon as
this Comes to hand So no thing
More only Remain your
afectionate husband ontil
Death Marcus Hefner
to Mrs Kisza Hefner
and to Larrane Hefner
and to Jonus Hefner
and to Jima Hefner