Orange County Va 1863
September 23ed
Dear Father I will
write you a few lines this
morning to let you know that
we are well at this time
hoping if theas few lines com
to hand they may find you all
well I received your letter of the
13th Sept yesterday and was glad to hear
that you were all well we are Still
on a line of battle, this is the 10th
day we have been hier I wroat
a letter day before yesterday and yes
terday I got one and I have nothing
much to write I will not Say
any thing moar a bout you coming
out for I no you will have enough
to do at home Since George has
left you John wants you to send
us some Shirts and socks the first
chance you have
[page 2]
I doant want you to leave your
work undon to come out hier but
if you have a chance to come out
this winter if we get in winter quarter
I would like for you to come then
and bring us some thing but as
we are now I doant want you to come
you mite come and we would
have to move and if we had
any thing it would be lost I will
tell you that John is bar footed
and I will be in a few days
ther is a good many suffering
for shoes and cloathing in our
Brigade and we have not been
payed off in nearly five months
Ther is one Regt of our Brigade gon
to North Carolina but we dont
no what part Some say they are
to salum it is the 21th I would
have bin very glad if it had been
the 6th in stead of it
[page 3]
We heard that the yankees ware
Coming in to North Carolina from
from Tenn and that ther was
a rite smart force in Mcdowel
County I think if that is the case it
Will a bad old cace for us
I think it is caused by the
Being up ther I want to no
What them mens names was that
past by Beauleys and sayed
that I would soone be ther
I can tell you if you never see
me untill I run off and go home
you will not see me for some
time I know a man by the
name of Douglas that run off
he is a brother to that one that
kept School at no 3 I guess he
was one of them that past ther
Ther was very heavy cannonading
up the river yesterday but I have
not heard any to day
[page 4]
Frank wants to come hier [1]
and I want to no what you
think of it for my part
I think he had better stay
ther althogh I would like for
him to be hier but he will
not be exposed to hardship
much ther as hier
I think he had better Stay
ther a while yet
I must Close as this is
the last sheet of paper that
I have
Tell that I have nothing
Atall to write at this time
Tell Amanda that have
quit writing to the Girles
but when I get some paper
I will writ to hir
I must Close
James W Overcash
[upside down under signature]: Pleas send a Sheet of paper
I have not heard from
[?????] since the
fight commenced
I dont think
they have
been in
it yet