Fredericksburg Va

April 5th /63

Dearest One,

After waiting several days for a letter from you, so that I would know what to write, and getting none, and as this is sunday I will proceed to write but have not a word of news that will interest you.

This leaves us all in good health and spirits, except young Murff who has had a severe attact of pneumonia, but is getting better. We had a heavy snow storm last night, the fourth one since I got back. The snow was six or seven inches deep this morning. Has melted fast thanks to a warm sun.

The Yanks are as numerous on the other bank of the river as ever. They thing over there that we are near starved out.

Well Mollie you would like to know what we are all doing. The truth is we dont do any thing for there is nothing to occupy our time unless it is clear days and they are few and far between.

We have the quarters to police. That is done by men who miss roll call. I have not been on duty but once. Then I was detailed to haul a load of wood. While in the woods I got some white oak [and] made me a fish basket, but have not got a minner for my trouble.

Our company bought two seins yesterday verry large. Think we will get plenty of fish now. One company in the 17th caught over seven hundred at one drag. Gen. Barksdale has given us permission to fish as much as we want.

I received a letter from you the day after writing my last. Also one from Sister Eugenia. Hope you are nearly through planting corn by this time. Am sorry that cow lost her calf. Was going to propose selling one this summer, as they will no doubt command a good price. If I was you I would milk her this summer any way. She will pay in butter as it is a good high price.

If I had a letter from you there would be no difficulty in writing. Don’t know what to say that would interest you in the least. We have just heard that the fight has commenced at Charleston. I feel confident that we will be successful if it is so.

The meeting is going on yet. About two hundred have profissed religion, and one hundred and fifty odd have joined the different churches. I do hope and pray that many more will follow their footsteps. Several have joined from our company. Some few are serious. This meeting has lasted longer than I ever knew one.

Well loved one I am through writing all that presents to my mind. How I long to bee with you once more, and I hope the time not far distant when this war will end that we can live for each other. Now my love I command you to Almighty God that He will preserve you is the prayer of your ever

devoted

Newton