Camp near Kelleys ford Va

Nov 13th 1863

The weather is good but cold nights. She is worried about his clothing and he has not suffered much yet from cold except his hands. “We have gone through much & suffered a great deal in the past few weeks but thank god I am well and getting rested now. I have often wanted to send home for something but I know it takes money and that is what keeps me from sending I never think of myself at all I am always thinking of you & the little ones & if you are comfortable & not in want I can earn a little money by my pencil down here so I think you had better keep what you have I have made 2 pictures & got a dollar for them so you see I am not very bad off yet. I could not wear Boots with this uniform if you could send them.” She shouldn’t try to live on a dollar a week and starve herself and the little ones. He is going to be able to send her 50 dollars in a few days. “Tell Kate and hank I wish them much joy & I think it about time they let up. I rember [sic] the thanksgiving we were happy then & I hope again to be so. Tell me what hank is doing now. Who takes Ida & willie to Sunday Shool [sic] I should think willie was to small to go.” He want to subscribe to the papers for her because they would be company for her. “I am glad your Bean comes so often to see you I wish we could be sitting in one others houses as we used we took a great deal of Comfort in those days but did not realize it I often think of Jake & wish he was here with me I always thought as much of him as I did of a Brother But I hope he is Better off than what he would be down here . I will send Ida a picture to keep her Remembering me I drawed it in a hurry & painted with another fellows paint I wish you would get mally to get me some cheap water colors & some drawing paper & brushes & do them up in a Package & send them to me they wont cost much tell her to get dark Blue light Blue Crimson light Red white India Ink Crome yellow green light green & a number 1 pencil.” He doesn’t know how long they’ll be here but they are fixing it up like they would be here all winter. Closing.