1862 August 3

                                    Sunday morning August
                                                      the 3  1862

Dear Cousin
                    after long neglect I in deavor
to answer you kind letter which came to hand
in due time  I hope you will excuse me for
not writing sooner, as I was verry unwell
for several days after I got your letter,
I have bin waiting sence I got well to
learn something new to write, tho I beleave
thare is no news in circulation now atal,
I hear but very little said about the yankees
now, tho we are still preparing for them
close by here, we have to go about four miles
to work on the breast works every other day,
I cant beleave that thay will come bac here
again soon, tho thare is no teling what
the fools may do,
Some of our boys are geting very anxious
to put in substitutes, John Milner got
a transfur from the Cascade  company to ours
and put in a substitute last week he onley
stayed one night after Milner left,
Henry Hines came down last week and got
one for his brother William he hot him
in yesterday  thay will start home to
marrow. he belonged to the 57 Regiment,
I dont blame no man to put in a substitute
if he can, tho I think if it is kept
up much longer it will ruin our army

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It is a nough to make a man want to
get out, to look at our Flag that we carried
in the last Battle, thay was some six or seven
men shot with our flag in thar hands, and
thay was forty five holes shot through it
and the staff shot in too,
I hird friday evening that Pleasant Iman was
dead, he died in started home some too weeks
ago after the men that was absent without
lave, and got to Richmond and the orders
was counter manded, and he was taken sic
thare ane never got bac to his company eny
more, I havent hird from Bates since
he was sent to the hospital,
I would like very much to be at mount
herman to day with you all, I hope
you all may have a interesting meeting,
I got a letter from Mary & cousin Amerca the
other day I was glad to hear from you all
& to hear that you were all well,
I have bin very well the last week
I dont think thare is much sicness
in camp now,
I will close John says he will write
a few lines before I seal this he is on
guard to day, nothing more remain
your frend and cousin until death
write to me soon and gave me all the news
                    James Booker
              to Miss C. V. Blair

Sunday eavning August the 3 1862
Dear Cousin I write you a few lines
to let you no that I havent forgot mi
promes I have bin thinking I wold write to you
ever sence I have bin here.  but I have bin on duty
so much I havent had the chance. I have bin well
sence I have bin here exsept coal.  I have had
a very bad coal & soar throat sence Ive bin here
Cousing Unity I havent time to write much
now as I am on guard to day & I reaken Jim
have give you all the news.  I here nothing
from the yankees. I am in hopes they will
con clude not to [obliterated word] fite any more those
is very often very hevy canon made in
down on the river be low here. they are
fire ring a good eal.  this eavening some says
they are trien thare Batterys  Cousin Uinty
I am going to send you some postage stamps
I could ent get any ten cent stamps an had to get
five cents stamps, you must excuse this short
letter, I still re main your frend an
an[sic] cousin unntel deth  John Booker

John and James Booker of Co D, 38th Virginia (Whitmell Guards) to their cousin Chloe Unity Blair


MSS 11237