Friday, June 12, 1863 - Stafford Court House, Virginia

#22

Out in the woods two or three miles

north of Stafford Court House Va, June 12^th 1863

Dear Wife

I now take my pen in hand under this tree out in old verginia and attempt to answer your letter which I received last Monday night was glad to hear from you that you ware all well it found me well and still remaine the same to day and hope when this reaches you it will find you all well and in good spirits, it is pleasant hear to day pretty warm, I am on picket to day last night we had orders come to have three days rations in our haver sacks and be redy to march at a moments notice we expected that we should have orders to march before morning but morning came and found us still in our old camp at Stafford so I had to go out on picket to day, I have neglected to answer your letter untill now for I expected another from you last night but got disapointed as I will fill this sheat up with some kinde of nonsence or other, I sent you ten dollars in the last letter that I sent you before this I presume you have received it before this time I will send you five dollars more in this letter you must take good care of your money and not let it get the upper hands of you for it might use you rough if it should so be sure and keep it under your thumb, you said in your last letter that I never wrote anything about the Turkey hill boys they are all well at this time Will Ayrs was taken prisner at the battle of Chancellorville so he is along with the other boys, Good morning Lucinda and all of the children how do you all do this morning, Saturday morning has arived again and it finds me still in the woods, safe and sound with my back against a big tree pening a few lines to you my own dear little family while I write my gun stands within six inches of my side and any quantity of others clost by all loaded ready in case of emergency we have to keep a pretty sharp lookout now days the rebs are prowling about here some at the preasant time, I stood three hours last night at one time out in an open lot from ten till one Oclock had to walk a beat about twenty rods long did not see anything or anybody but expected every minute when I should for I heard considrable noise out side of the line one fellow on the second beat from me fired his gun at what he supposed was a man but there was nothing to be found in the morning, I guess he was more sceart than hurt, I received a letter last night from Mother stating that they ware all well except that she had a soar finger thought at first it was a fellin but turned out to be a bile they wrote that Leora Ackley was married to Dave Jones for sure you did not seam to know wheather they ware married or not but that was allways the way if there was any news in Moodus you wanted to go to Tarshy to hear of it I am glad to hear that the children are doing better and hope they will continue on in the same way and improve all of the time, you wished to know about my handkerchiefs & towels I have got one good towel yet my handkerchiefs are whole yet the white one is rather dark complection however my love to you all

From your Husband & Father

A.C. Smith