Dec 25th 1863
Camp Detachment, 61 Regt N. C. Troops
My Dear Mother,
I Seat my Self this Beautiful
Christmas Morning to drope you A few
lines to inform you that I am Well at
present, And I hope that thies few lines
may Come to hand And fined you in the
Best of helth, Dear Mother I Want to
here from you the Worst now that I hav
since I hav Bin in the Survis, I hav not
had A letter from you in two Months,
Mother We left N. C. on Monday the 14
of Dec And arived at Petersburg on the 16.
We stayed their one Night, And then We
Ware ordered to Joyners Bridg on the Black
Water River fiv Miles from Franklin
Depot, And We hav Bin heire ever since.
But We Will leav heire to Morrow for
Petersbug, We are 60 Miles from Peters
Burg, I think that We Shall go Back to old
N C. in a Short time, alltho I like
Virgina veary Well, We are faring veary
Well for Someting to Eat, We get a plenty
To Eat here, We under the Command of
General Picket, We are in South Hamton
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County, it is a veary fine Country
here, the people are veary kind to us here,
the Weather is veary Cold here now, But
We hav A plenty of good oak Wood to Burn
And We hav got good Cloths. And Shoes
to keep us Warm. We are half Way
from Petersburg to Norfolk. Mother
I Want to here from you veary Bad in
deed, And here how you are geting along,
Mother I hav no newse of any impor-
tance to Write you all is quiet here now
I must Close as my time is Short
that I hav to Write, you need not to Write
untill you here from mee A gain.
for I cant tell Wheare I Shall Bee at
But I Will Write to you again as
Sone as I get to Petersburg,
you may Write if you think proper
and Direct you letter to Petersburg
Virgina, in the Care of Capt Wm.
B. Lanier, Company. H. 61 Regt
N.C. Troops, Nothing More
at present only I Remaine your
Most affetianate Sone untill Death
Giv my Lov to all inquing
friends if any }
Edgar Smithwick