Dear Parents,

I received your letter yesterday.  I am glad to know that you got my letter and to hear that you are all well.  I wrote you last at Fredericksburg.  We left there.  In a couple days, we went to Berlin.   We crossed the river on the 17th.  We moved on through Rectertown to Manassas Gap.

Our brigade consists of the 1st, 2nd, 5th regular and 6th Provisional and our battery called the regular, occupied the Gap till the infantry arrived.  The cavalry had considerable skirmishing but held their position.  When the infantry arrived, we moved out on the road towards Little Washington.  We stayed there till the Rebs were drove beyond Front Royal.  We then moved to Warrenton.  We moved day before yesterday to Bealeton Station.  We moved out here yesterday.  The Army is encamped around Warrenton and Warrenton Junction.  The enemy’s pickets are on the other side of the Rappahannock .  We shall probably lay in camp till the army gets clothed and recruited.  We have had very hard times for two months past.  We have not had our rations regular some times.  We would be 3 days without anything except what we could forage and that was very little.  We cleaned out everything edible at Rectertown and Manassas Gap.  We are now lying about half way between Bealeton Station and Rappahannock Station.

I am in good health.  You must not worry if it is a long time before I write.  We cannot get time to wash our clothes.  I got the letter you wrote before, about a week ago.  I am very glad you are all getting along so well.  I am glad that Ada is getting along so well.  I will write to her soon, if I get a chance.   The package you sent was all right.  I got it before we left Fredericksburg.  Keep up good courage and not feel worried if you do not hear from me very often.  I will write as often as I get a chance.   Goodbye for this time.

From your son,