February The 5. 1864
Cav. Camps. Va.
Dear unkel I seet my
self This morning to drop
you a few lines in answer
To yours that come to hand
a few days since which
I was gald to heare you was
all well I am not verry
well at this time, I have
been verry unwell for
some too weeks but I
am better than I have
been I hope those lines
ma go safe to hand &
find you all well &
Doing well I have nothing
new to write you this
time our regt is in a
godeeal of confusion
[page 2]
They has been 11 men
deserted from our regt
in the last ten days
an gone to the yankees
I think our regt will bust
up this spring for we have
one of the meinest Cols
this side of hell an I
wish he was Ded an in
hell this morning Lieut
Mathias rote you a
leter the other day
consurning you busness
an he will attend to it
as soon as he can
The man that bought
his horse is at home
but it can be got as
soon as he comes back
so we will have it
attended to as soon
as we can
[page 3]
an I am glad 1864
to get a letter from
you at any time
an I want you to bee
shore an write to me
often an I will write
to you often as I can
an gave me all the
news you can I think
Ill get to come home
this spring on a horse
Detail an if I do Ill
come an see you
Stepp is well and this
letter is from me
an him we have a
guard line a round our
camps an I have to
go an guard every other
day Just half the
time an I dont
[page 4]
intend to stand
it long but you know
they is no use in talking
but I can do my one
thinking reed this to
gran father & Mother
an tell them to write
to me an tell all
my folks to be shore
to write to an Ill ans
them with pleaure
if I live to get home
Ill come up and gave
you all my opinion
a bout this eturnel
war so Ill say no
more for fear I say
to much so fare
well to you all
for a while
E.J.H. J Stepp To A.R. Shipman
[E.J.H. may be Elias Hestlow/Hestelo of Co. G]