1861 October 13 Fare Fax Co. Va.

Dear friend it is With pleasure
i seat my self this morning
to in form you that i am Well
at present hoping When this lines
come to hand they may find you
all enjoying the same blessing
We are now at fare fax court house
we moved last sunday to this camp
they are still fighting a little down
below here our men fired on 2 ships
the other morning. before day and
sunk both of them i dont think
though they ar going to fight much
more this Winter it is getting too
Cold down here to fight We will
soon have to go in winter quarters
now I dont know Where We Will
go though yet i exp it Will be at
manassa or richmond and it may
be at linchburg just any place.
a bout[?] manassa for me it Would
be a hard place to Winter any
Wheres near this doged place

[page 2]
there is a grate deal of sickness
down here at this time they are
Just about half of our company
now they people aint doing any
Wheat a tall here they ar nearly
all broke out about here but
they aint forgot how to act the
rascal though get they is some
men a bout here Would steal
the butter of of a blind negros
breat dog me if they aint tell
george i here from him every
now and then mark biglar has
got they fever and is vary low with
he is in richmond i haveent herd
from him for several days now
he was a little better When i
herd from him i have had my
health vary well so far but i
dont know how long it Will
last though We have preaching
here at seven o clock to day

[page 3]
I am sorry to tell you that
Barney is sick i be lieve he
Has got the fever he is in richmond
he was vary low the last time i
Heard from hi i have don all
that i can to go to richmond
to wait on him but i cant
get to go and i think if he
ant at home or you dont here
from him you had better come
and take him home or send
some one after him i cant tell
you what hospital he is in but
you just go to they hospitals tell
you find him and take him
home i anxcious to here from
him and would be mor so to
here of him being at home &
i Want you to wright to me
as soon as you get this letter
and let me know if Barney
has got home or not or if you
have heard from him or not

[page 4]
they ar some of our boys
With him that is able to take
care of him i must bring my
letter to a close by asking you
to rite to me soon so nothing
more But i remain your friend

W M Hamilton

Direct your letter to manassa
station prince Wm County Va
in care of P. G. Breckinridge
28 rig Va Volenteers

James Barney Painter and William M. Hamilton were both privates in Co. K of the 28th Virginia Infantry. P. Gilmer Breckenridge was the company captain


MSS 10661