Saturday, January 03, 1863 - Fairfax Station, Virginia

Fair Fax Station Jan 3th 1863

Dear Wife

I not seat myself to answer your letters the one dated Dec 21th I received Christmas evening and it found me the same as you wished it might well and before a rousing big fire and in good spirits but out doors instead of inside a good house as I might be if I was in Moodus with you and the children the one dated Dec 27^th I received last night was goad to hear that you ware all well but it did not find me quite as well as usual for I have got a slight touch of the jaunders have not been so but what I could keep round but felt rather down to the dumps am feeling some better to day I took a sudden cold when I first come to this place which I think gave me the jaunders; we have had marching orders once since I last wrote to you we was ordered to have three days raitions in our haver sacks and be redy to march at a moments notice we accordingly did so and last Sunday morning about nine O Clock we made a start for what place we knew not at the time but finaly went about ten miles on the same road that we had been on and come back before it seems that a lot of rebbel cavalry had made their appearance round in that direction we was therefore ordered out to see if we could come in contact with them but was not quick enough for them as the greater part of them had mad good their escape there was one taken and brought in to our general he was brought in by one of our cavalrymen who had a revolver pointed right at his head the reb in the first place struck our boy acrost his hand with his sabre and cut his fingers pretty bad when the little yankee showed him his pistole and demanded him to surrender to which request he immediately complied with; we stayed out there untill Monday in the afternoon when we come back to camp near Fair Fax Station whare we still remain we have commenced putting up huts againe to live in but that is no sign that we shall stay here any length of time for this is the third time we have commenced to [fix] up for winter quarters and very linely by the time we are redy to commence living in them we shall have to leave and go some whare els but I could get along with that very well if I could see any prospects of the war coming to a close it is very pleasant weather here just now whick makes it better for us than it would be if it was cold and stormy but I expect we shall catch it by and by for it is about time for the rainy season to commence then I suppose we shall have wet and mud enough of it, well my good little boys I am glad to hear that you have been good boys of late you must always be good to your mother and help her all you can then when she writes to me I shall hear a good report from your little Fredy I was much pleased with your writing am glad that you are a good boy you must write evry chance you can get and of course Georgia knows that I am always glad to hear from her and always want to hear that she is a good girl to therefore I hope she will be one of the best of girls I had a letter from Horace he said that he was better pleased reading Georgias letter than any he had ever had from any of his relation From Your Husband and Father A.C. Smith