1863 January 9 Fredericksburg, Va.

                 No. 9
Fredericksburg, Va Jan 9th 1863
Mrs Balsorah Riley
                      Dear Wife
Standing police guard
last night excussed me
from drill this morning
Therefore, being at leisure
otherwise, I write theas
lines for employment I
am still in the best of health,
So is my mess. It is useless
to bring in that old repetition
of formality used by the general
class of letter hitherto, this "I hope
these few lines will find you
enjoying the same blessing." This
delightful form has grown so
old been repeated so often
that it would be best probably to

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have it understood, without
the trouble of introducing it
in every letter as thought it
was a "brand new"  Idea, just
hatched & brought forward by
the writer but probably I had
                              for likely
best eject that subject, ^  prob
ably it would have been more
interesting to you, to have
diggressed it without so much
elaboration.  Isaac Alexander
who was Numbered among
the missing after the Sharps-
burg battle, has returned to
our camps. he was taken
prisoned & detailed to wait
on our wounded, which fell
into the hands of the enemy.
He says that John Buckley
& Jas. Bishop (who were wounded)

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both died  Jno Buckley
lived 2 mos. & 6 days after he
rec'd his wound, having
deceased at Sharpsburg
Nov. 3' 62, i.e. the date of
his death according to
Alexander's recollection.
D. J. Waltman & I. F. Alexand
er say that the Maryland-
ers all  (nearly) are genuine
"Secesh" about Baltimore, &
in other parts they are about
equally divided.  they had
no money while prisoners
but every thing that they
needed was given them
by the "Secesh."  have very cold
weather here.  If I can even
get any more ink, I
will quit writing with a
                                 pencil

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Not Rec'd but one letter from
you yet.  I am getting very
impatient I inclosed to you
in No. 7 $50 & in No. 8 $7
The former No. was mailed Dec 26 '62
& the latter Jan 4 '63.  I will
not send any more money
by letter, until I hear from
that which I have already
sent.  If it makes the trip
to you safe, then I will
venture more, but if it  gets
lost on the road, "I'll be broke
from Sucking eggs."  I drew
a few days ago all that was
due me up to the first day of
Jan. '63, except my ballance
on commutations, & I will
draw that in a few days.
This line bears my fervent love to you.
Good bye F. Riley  Mrs E. Riley

Possibly Franklin Riley, Co. B. 16th Mississippi

MSS 7786-f