1861 Aug[ust] 22 camp of instruction Richmond Va

Dear father and mother
I take my pen In hand
to let you know that
I am well and hope
when theas few lines
come to hand they may
find you injoying the same
blessing I like the camp
life fine we air fareing very
we get lite bread & bacon &
rice & dride apples coffee, beef, sugar
that air some of our boys
in the hauspitle but tha
air all getting better.

father we have not got our
arms we dont know
when we will leave here
richmond father you
know more a bout the
news than I do we beside[?]
dont read any more n this

[page 2]
father & mothe[r] I have
seen more since I have
been in richmond then
you could shake a stick
at we have prayer meeting
every night & preaching
every Sundy, I have seen
the verry yankeys we
have about 3000 priseners
we got caps to wear James
[name?] sent word that
we was hard looking
cases you would laugh
to see me rubing the
shirttails you or to
see me making up bread
throwing the do from
east to west mother
I had my likeness
taken & will send it
to you the first
chanc you can gett it at
Amsterdam halt

[page 3]
father I would like to have
a bout 3 dollars if you
can get it if you do send
me any be carefull to
direct your letter to camp
on instrucktion richmand
Va in care of P G Bre
in ri ckinridge we dont
drill much I have stood
guard wonce & we stand
2 hours and rest four and
then nextt day we can go
to town we see the
verry gals in richmond
while i am writing thte
boys air getting super
some baking pyse
some air eatting and
so on tell the girls
to write to me tell
tell susy write to
me we air all in fine
spirits amen & amen

[page 4]
we have a jolly
pold time tell all th
children howdy for
me I here cannons
fireing every day it is
our artillery a practice
ing there the air thr
owing bresast works
all around richmond
my bad writing and
spelling is nothing
at preasent mossy
John hammaer away
at the old guns
write to me soon
so I will knode know
that you get my
letters yours untill death
so good By

James B. Painter

Corporal, Company K, 28th Virginia Infantry.


if you send me some money
send it soon we [?] leave
so[o?]n

MSS 10661