Jan the
		        20
	Fort [Norf Via?] 1863

Dear Sister
	        I take my pen 
in hand to asque you to forgive
me for for knot writing to
you before I am well and I
hope that these few lines will
find you the Same I hav bin
Sick ever sence the 27 day of
october but I am quite well I move
to camp yesterday were I first
was taken sick the boys got
me a room to a private hous
the folks was very kind to me
I receved a letter yesterday from
John he is well. he is to anapolis
merilend he is detatch from 
his Company to help the man
that has charge of the hospital
I hope that he will stay thare
as long as the war lasts but I hope

that it will close before long
it has got to be a nigger war
a niger is thought more of than
a solger and I dont care how
soon or on wat terms it is
Setteld it is knothing but
money, and nigers that keeps
this war up for my part I
hav seen as meny nigers as
I ever want I hope that thay
wont get north well sister
I will change the subject the
wether hear is fine we hant
had any snow hear yet thar
hant mutch news hear
only we ar a looking for old
Jackson every day the merimack
[number?] & is in 16 miles of this
plase but I think that she
will get all that she wants
well salley this is a [illegible in original]
of a hole if i must say so the
people hear in norfolk ar the

bigest of sesesh a man is in
danger of his life if he hant
armed I dont car if Jackson
dos come hear it will be onley
be the destruction of the city
for the river is half full of
gun boats know I think thare
hant mutch danger of an atack
how dos billies folks get a long
tell aren that I think he mite
come down and see wat a
plase old vergina is I would
                                             pas
knot give sutch a farm as gran^
is for all the land I hav seen
since I hav bin in old vergin
I hant hird from home this
week but the last time that I
hird thay was all well. we hant
bin paid of yet and the [illegible in original]
is that we wont very soon
well salley I will hav to close
tell aren to write and you write
me a good family letter and I
will do better the next time

write soon and all of the
news this is from your
 		Brother in old
			virgina
	to Salley	Abram B G

	Derect your Letter
    to
	A.B. Gunderman
company E 148th Regiment
care of capn N.R. Johnston
	Norfolk Virginia
		N.Y.I. Vol.