Head Quarters 3d Brig 1st Div 19th A.C.
                              Camp Russell Va
                                        Dec 5 1864
Dear Sister Kate
     I received your letter
of Nov 20th about the first of
the month and have been so
buisy that I have not had time
to answer it before we have made
ourselfs comfortable for the winter
if they let us stay here but
the weather keeps so fine we may
have to make Genl Early another
call before the winter commences
we have had fine weather for
the last ten days allmost to
fine for me for as long as
fine weather last I cant get
home. I have my aplication in
and it will be approved as soon
as the exigenses of the service


will admit and I hope that
will bebefore long. we have had
no fighting here for most two
weeks I guess that Early has
got mad at us for he dont come
to see us any more I guess he
dont like the way we use him
but he ought not to find any
fault for we have took abut
half of his army to board and
Give them a good place to live
in this winter at Point lookout
     r
Mayland and have taken about
sixty Peaces of his Artillery off of
his hands so he will have
no more trouble with them
and if he will only come
back in the vally we will
take him and the rest of
his army to board.
Thing begin to brighten up some
Thomas has whiped Hood in
Tenisisee and Sherman is

giving them fits in Georgia
Grant has destroyed about half
a million dollars worth of store
for them this last week they
have been whided in Louisiana
and the last time we had
a fight with them here they
were whiped so bad that they
wont come back again to see
us and now if we can only
have some bad weather for
about a week I could get a
Leave of absence for twenty das
and go home and see mamma
and spend christmas with
her give a kiss to all the
children for me and remember
me to all enquireing friends
                From Your Brother
                            Jim
                             to
                     Sister Kate