1863 February 6 Camp Winder, Caroline County

                                      Va
Camp Winder Caroline Co
              February 6th 1863 
Dear Friend

                 Nine oclock P.M.
as the most of the boys have
retired to thare bed of poles
I have concluded to drop you
a fiew lines, My health is very
good & hope theese fiew lines
may find you enjoying the same
blessing, Thare is no news of
importance to write, we hafto
go on picket tomorrow morning
I suppose we will get a peep
at our enimies I hope we may
have a plesent time while we are
on picket, Thare has been a grate
deal of snow & rain in the last
two week I hope we may have
some more clear weather now
The road are almost a bed of mud 


[page 2]
It is almost imposible to get provi
tions from the debot to our camp
I suppose thare is plenty of snow
in augusta now for sleighing
if so I hope you may have some
plesent sleighrides we take our
fun in snowballing. We have
formed a Bible class & meet on
sundy & Wednsday nights to recite
our lessings I hope it may be
carried on and that some good
may come ofve it we have a
grand theatre in the Regt,
carried on by Capt Brown of
the Marion Rifles he is a very
good performer he is a noble
singer. Capt Newton started
this morning  hon  furlough
he is very lucky in getting home
though I do not envy him his
good fortune I would have written
by the Capt if I haved had notice

[page 3]
in time. as [it?] is I will hafto risk
another by mail hoping it may
soon reach your hand Well Kate
did your cous, Lizzie make you
acquainted with all her secreets
if so do you know who she is
engaged to I will tell you my reasons
for asking you this question in
my next letter if you answer it
I am a thousand times obliged
to you for the cheese you sent to
me I assure you it was something
I never look for I would like to
be in a mess with your brother but
the boys would think hard of me
for leaving my old mess I may
say we are almost one mess for when
ever one mess gets a box the other
is envited to share its contents
but if Lieut Dempster joines the
officers mess I exspect to change
well Kate I wasent aware that I had


[page 4]
shown so many sines of my weak 
ness on leaving Greenville it goes
to show the feebleness of mans nature
I was very sorry to hear of the bereveme
nts of the Harris famlies I hope the al
wise God may do unto them as he did
unto jobe of old bless thare future years
you said you wished you could take our
places down hear do you think you could
stand out on gard one of theese cold nights
and if you could do'nt you thin we wou
ld be as unhappy if all the Ladies ware hear
and we ware at home you wrote as if you
had been trying to get me to change my
love for you but alass how could I you are
constantly in my thoughts by day and my
dreams by night & God forbid that I should
ever love another woman I have often thought
dear Kate that you never loved me as I
did you but found the keys of my heart
and took pity on me. It seemes to me that
man is one of Gods weakest instruments
well Kate I have not entirely quit chew
ing tobacco yet I have used one plug since
I came back to the company I used to chew
two a week I hope I may entirely quit before
long; uncle John was wounded at the sharps
burg fight in the arm, I exspect he is in
buckingham. Bro John had a letter for me
from Sister when I came down She was
well and going to school I would like
very much to see her Jake is well and looks
harty cous, Jimmie is enjoying the same bles
sing I must bring my letter to a close as it
is afto twelve oclock Abe stayed up and
bothered me untill eleven trying to find
out who I was going to write to my respects
to all; the family write soon as I am always
glad to hear from you let no one see this
I remain your much attached friend
                                          W. F.

William Francis Brand, Co. E., 5th Virginia Infantry (Augusta Grays) to his future wife Amanda Catherine Armentrout

[transcript by University of Virignia Library e-text center]

MSS 11332