Camp Near winchester
	va	December 4th 64
	    Dear Sister
Once more I take my pen
in hand for the porpos
of writing you afew lines
to let you know that
I am still well and hope
that these few lines may
find you the same I have
not heard from you in
some time though I have
been looking for [crossed out] [allter]
a letter for some time but
I have got tired of waiting for
a letter so I though that
I would write you one [crossed out] [to]
I got one from mary when
She was out there and I
should have answered that
but I thought that She

     would be home by
the time that she I could
write I would be glad if I
could hear fom you oftener
you or Edmond [illegible] to me
might write as often as once
a fortnight We have gone into
winter quarters for aspell though
I d not know how long We have
just go back from raid of four
or five days over in the [illegible]
country we [crossed out letter] passed through
Ashbys gap and commenced
burning every thing in the
shape of fodder and foraged
all that we wanted out
of the houses and drive
of all the horses and cattle
Sheep and hogs that we
could find [crossed out letter] killing all
that we wanted to eat
we met with no opposition except
from some of [the notable?]

[illegible] men who hung
   round our flanks it was
four outrages commited by
hime that the burning
was done for Loudon County
is his rendesvous he has
been prowling round our camp,
for some time catching any 
men that hapened to be out
side of camp and one day
he charged almost in to
our camp after [some?]
teams that were out afte
wood our regiment was
turned out dismounted
with our carbines but
he made the [heat?] of
his way back to the
mountains again though
it was not untill he had
lost several of his men and
this raid was in concequence
of it and a I guess that he

feels [crossed out letter] rather sore
for his suplys have
been cut shorter than
they ware some days ago
[crossed out] [W] Well I do not think
of any more to write
now    Please write soon
Give Edmond my best
respects with love to all
I am as ever your loving
and affectionate brother
	Gershom W Mattoon
       to Mrs Sarah C. Reynolds

Dec. 1864