[the month this letter was written in missing, but was likely late in 1863 while Hefner was awaiting his court martial for desertion]

virginia [torn page]
29 /63
my Self this evning
to let you know
at this time and
those few lines comes
y may find you all in
State of health
ife I have riten til I got
nd I have come to the
that I would rite you
lines once more to let
my Condition I see hard
I dont get half A nuf
and lie very Cold I
to get to My regment
[page 2]
I count on going to My regmen
in A few days I Can inform
that there is about three hundr
Diserters in this house and in cas
tel thunder there is about 2
thousand I think there is Som
3 thousand diserters in Richm
I think this Cruel war will
Come to A Close this winter
Some time that we Can
Come home once more and
ingoy our Selves once More
I would like to See you and th
boys the best in this world
and all the rest of My frend
I cant rite Much til I get A
a leter
[page 3]
Dear wife I have rote Some
6 or 7 leters and got none
yet I dont now whether
you get them or not this
is the reason I dont rite
More this time I want you
to rite as Soon as this comes
to hand and tell me all
the news and tel me whether
you ar going to stay where
you ar or not Rite to the
57 regment NC troops
in Care of Captain Miller
Company E Marcus Hefner
to Kizia Hefner