17th 63
          [illegible in original] Isabella Vir Mar
	        Dear Childle
		            Yours of Feb came
safe to hand rest asuerd I was
glad to hear from you and
was glad to hear that your
ware [well?] for [every?] thing
of the kinde helps to pas the
time more pleasantly esp-
ecialy where they cum from
those that I love and I finde
that I left more than one 
sutch behinde


	      [And?] I now take my pen
to reply but I havent any
nuse to write except that
I am well my health has
ben verey good moast of the
time since I have bin in
the Army I am [sum?] hearer
thare when I enlisted

but not quite as heavey as [cannon?] 
in the winter
	we have bin [haveing?] fine
times for a few days we have
bin out shooting at a targat
the Col was out with our CO
yesterday he is a gay [illegible in original]
as the boys say he [illegible in original]
more sporte [thare?] alb fo
the rest of us put to geather
we think he is a very fine man
	we have had sum fine
weather the [illegible in original] and birds are
out but to day is a could & 
stormey one it is snowing
quite fast
	thare is sum [tak?] of a
nother moove but I think they
will wat a while longer fer
the mud to dry up and
sum think the Army of
the Potomac will not have
mutch to do this Summer


but that is very uncertain
the Col says the war will
end by the first of Sept and
I hope it will for I have sure
[all?] I want to of Camp life
			                                                      d	
but yet I am not discourage^
or sorey that I enlisted I
have not [scean?] any thing worse
than I expected I was [two words illegible in original]
that it was no easy plase
	You [Spauk?] of having
a pare of Socks & Mittens I
received a pare of gloves from
home quite early in the
winter Socks I get from [gover-?]
ment a moust any time
I thank you for your kinde
regardes but think you
[had?] not beter send them
at presant the mittens I 
shall have no use for
	please write often not
wate fir me for thare is 

times where I have but
litel time to write
give my love to all
from your Father with 
strong regarde
[2 words illegible in original] M. Peck
			                                  [A.G.P.?]