Head Quarters
	near Fredricksburgh. V.A.
			Dec 17th 1862
	Dear Mother
		       I recieved a
welcome letter from you last Monday
and was very happy to hear from
you and hear that you are getting
along as well as you are as for me
my health is pretty good now - -
we have bin across the river
four days the 7th Mich was the
first regt in the town our 
men have striped the town of
every thing some of the boys got
six or eight watches apiece and
tobacco by the tin almost
we crossed over Friday and stood
under the rebs fire most all
day they shelled us some but
the most of them struck in
the river as we wer close by the

river but some fell among
the ranks as we wer drawn up
in line of battle expecting every
minute to go in to the fight
but none of our 8th wer hurt
one of the 2nd Mich was killed &
a number wounded I have seen
George Sheldon and George [Beamer?]
they are both well - - -
	well now I must tell you
about our stop on the other
side of the river we wer called
up every day and some times three
or four times a day in line of
battle and some times march
out a ways and then back again
Monday we we called to order
and told to stand to our arms
until further orders and in an
hour or so they told us to fit
our beds and make ourselves as
comfortable as we could with
cornstalks for our bed and

      the stary heavens for our
   covering we made ourselves
comfortable until about eleven
oclock Capt came around and
whispered to his boys and told
us to ge our things ready in
two minutes for a march witho-
ut any noyse anevery one spoke in
a whisper and we fell in line
and marched down to the town
and turned up street towards
the rebs forts and none of
us knew where we wer going
soon we turned off in another
street and soon found ourselves
at the river close by the pontoon
bridge whare we crossed and after
a short march found ourselves
back to our old camp, thus
all of our men crossed that
night and the rebs knew nothing
                                             ng 			
   about it until the next morni^ 
			          ng
now I suppose you would like^

to know what kind of weather
we have here now it is very
pleasant no snow and not
very cold nights we sleep warm
with three in a bed and two 
blankets and [four words illegible]
us and one under us I have got
two very nice blankets so I
shant kneed that one you got
at M.S. but if you have sent
it never mind for perhaps
I can send it back with some
other things as for money I did
not get any this pay day but
I have got ten dollars now
I have not read that letter with 
the dollar yet; I will tell you
what a pontoon Bridge is it
is made of [boats?] lashed together
and planked the [boats?] are about
12 feet apart well as my paper 
is full I must close give my love
to all friends and expect a [illegible]
good bye               B F Marsh