[no date, but written late May or very early June 1864]

Dear wife I cant rite
much news at this time
I am on picket post at
this time I have bin
on picket and on Skermish
for the last week I would
rather do that than to
bild brestworks we bild
brestworks every day
I Can inform you that
we fare very well since
we left kinston we
get plenty meat and
bread we can forage
something sometimes on
Skirmish I Can inform
you that we aint bin
in but one fite Since
we left and that was
at Drewersbluff [1] 8 mile
below Richmond we lost
none only john Sheperd
[page 2]
and W Wilkey is
Mising Colter and
sidny sipe them three
is Mising I under stand
that brother Cain is
Mising I cant inform
you much about the war
at this time there is
two much fiting on hand
it hasant stopt since
the third day of May
ther is Skermish fiting
and Charging in heare
every day and I expect
the worst aint come
yet I dont look for
this fite to Stop til
peace is Made lee
has fell back from
Rapadan ten mile from
or near Richmond this is
the bludest time that
[rest of letter missing]

[Hefner was captured on June 6, 1864, shortly after writing this letter. He died at Point Lookout prison camp on July 27]