1861 December 15 Manassas Junction, Virginia.

Dear Cousin

I received your
kind and interresting letter
a few days ago. I was verry
glad to hear from you all
and also to hear from my
sweet hearts. I want to see
them verry bad indeed tho
I dont think thare is eny
chance for me to git a
furlow, the Col has prom
ised to let the married
men get home when he
gets in to winter quarters,
I hird this morning that
our Regiment was going to
move to Gainsville this
week to fix thar winter
quarters, that is about 12 miles
from here back to wards Winches
ter rite on the Rail road

[page 2]
I expect to stay here until
thay get fixed up, and then
thay will move the bagage
to the Regiment I like
to stay here verry well
I get extra pay and have
a lighter task than I would
if I were at the Regiment
I think thay have
given out fighting
at Centrevill this win
ter, I saw a gentleman
the ther day just from
Washington he said h
did not think the yankees
would try us at here
eny more, the yankees took
him prisner the 13 of last July
and kept him until last
week, he said his fair was
verry rough indeed, and he
said thay was 60,000 sick yankees
in Washington

[page 3]
Thay was too men shot
at Centreville last week for
trying to kill thar Commanding
offiser. thay I understood thay
gave the Romancatholic
Priest 25 dollars apeace to save
thar souls.
I cant think of any thing to
write that will interest you
so I will come to a close
write soon, give my best respects
to all inquiring frends and share
a good portion for your self
tel cousin Elizaann Williams
to write to me,
you must speak a heap er good
words to the ladies for me
in the Christmas
Write soon to your cousin
James Booker
to Miss C[hloe] U[nity] Blair

James Booker and his twin brother John both served in the 38th Virginia Infantry, the Whitmell Guards

MSS 11237