th January 22, 1863 Mr William Lickley Ser i take my pen in hand to let you no how i am and all the rest is i and the boys is [illegible] smart at present i am well and tuff as a nut and James is gitin [illegible] smart he has his Sam Sick but not very dangers he hant bin so but he [illegible] be a bout all the time i supose you heard that he was danger but not so bad d as you herd i under stand you hear^ ent that he was [illegible] bad but it wasn^ as bad as you herd and this morning i sean him and i ask him how he got a long he sed he was pooty Smart i told him i was glad to hear it and the rest of the boys a gunen i think for tha can eat thare a [illegible] so i think tha hant very dangrs yet Well William it is very mudey hear and most in posabil to git a round an i am down to town on guard and guarding the libert stabil and to nite i hav a chance to rite a fue lines to you and i Will tell you the nuse that i sean i see one man drumed out of camp and it looked hard i tell you in think i will not disert from my ridgemont never for this dromen out of camp hant what i like to see ........... Alburt is well and he is a good solger and if we live to com back home you will think so if you see yus drill once for we now how to handill a gun puty well i think i supose the boys is in [illegible] them [illegible] firstrate and i tell Bary not to inlist in the armey for it is a dogs life to live and a hard one i will advise him to stay at home with his father and the rest of his friends i went down to [illegible] and had the good look to com back sound i so pose you heard wen we went down thare and wat fore but it didant hapon to ng meat us but the next morni^ we heard the gunes go pop pop pop for a bout too ours but our men drove the rebils and we didiant See one of them but we thot it wood be our chance next but it hapind not to be ours and i am glad of it so it is giting late inmost in close i Send my best respects to you all and hope that we ma meat agane So i want you to rite if you will to me and tell bary to rite if he will So good By for this time Drect your letters to Samuel Carlile Geritan Cantuckey Mich 18 ridgmont Co F in Care of capton t.J. Hill Samuel Carlile to William Lickley