1862 December 22 camp near Fredericksburg

Camp near Fredericksburg
      Monday Dec 22'1862
Mrs. Balsorah J. Riley
My Dear Wife
I mailed a letter to you day
before yesterday, but my
mingled emotions of
love, Grief, & anxiety can
find vent only by the
transmission of a few
more lines to you, as I
cherish the deepest solic-
ituce for your wef wel-
fare my happiness is
bound up with your
prosperity.  It is hard
indeed that we must
be separated, but cruel
fate has thus ordained
our lot, & we have to try

[page 2]
to console ourselves, let
our lot be what e'er it may.
I have looked in vain for
a letter ever since I arrived
here. not heard a word
from you since I left
except that which Jas.
Damper wrote me in
Stephen's letter, that you
"got home safe from Cop=
ian on friday Dec. 5"
Stephen's letter was dated
Dec. 7.  In the gattle at
Frredericksburg none of our
Co. got hurt except Tom Bass
he was wounded in the foot
by a fragment from a bomb.
In the 16 Reg. 22 wounded
& 4 killed. Jef Waltman
has got back to the Co. he
is not in first rate
health, but is improving

[page 3]
very rapidly.  He was in
Baltimore Md. part of
the time while prisoner
& he says nearly all the
people there men &
women are genuine
secessionists.  he says he
saw Secesh flags hoisted
there & cheers given for
"Stone Wall Jackson" that
the Ladies of Baltimore
furnished them (the prisoners)
Clothing, Shoes & every thing
that they needed.  Dorch
Benson is in fine health
& as full of fun as ever.  So
is Rob. Morris & Stephen
Damper in good health.
Jef Waltman does not think
that D. Weathersby intended
to swindle him in that
money matter, but thinks

[page 4]
that he only made a
mistake in dealing
it out.  he says tell Owen
to pay the deficit to Wm
Morris & all will be right
I am very anxious to hear
from you. write soon & often
  Direct to Fredericksburg
Stop, til I break the seal
& read this letter which
Steve Dam. has just handed
me.  It is from you, I know
the hand write.  Well I have
just had the pleasure of
reading yours of Dec. 5
nothing gives me geater
pleasure than to hear
of your good health
I am in good health
my arm is well I can
get it nearly straight. I
know you are bound to be lone-
some, so am I, though I have
plenty of company, but that which
I desire is absent.  your affect-
ionate husband  F. L. Riley

[in left  hand margin of page 4]
I  have not time or room to reply to you letter at present.

[in right hand margin of page 4]
I mailed Father a letter yesterday

[page 5]
This paper, as trifling as it
is, cost me $1.50 per
quire.  I would write
with pen & ink, but ink
is nearly "as scarce in
camp as hen's teeth" "&
all" -The inhabitants of
Frredericksburg (is not
that a long name) had
every thing destroyed by
the Yanks before & during
the battle.  There was

[page 6]
a subscription carried
through camps yesterday
to relieve the suffering
citizens of Fred'bg. I sub-
scribed & paid $1.00 for
their relief, so did nearly
every soldier, which you
know  Amt'ed to a large
sum.  "Allow for the
Seam."  Dont sum
mick--my Respects
to my Friends, you
know who they are my
love to you ---from Frank.