Loudon Valley, Dec 7th 1862

Dear loved Wife,

I received a letter from you last night written last Sunday. It has got so it takes two weeks to get a letter to and from home, that is, it takes a week for it to get there and a week for one to get back, so you see we are about two weeks apart. I used to get letters in three or four days after they were written. You complain of not getting letters from me often, I have written twice a week except one week and then I was not in camp long enough to mail one but since then I have been in camp all the time and have

Loudon Valley, Dec. 2nd

Dear Wife,

When I wrote you last I was not well and to prevent your being anxious about it I take this early opportunity to add another to your long list of letters and I do this the more cheerfully because you seem to appreciate when I write and the difficulties under which I have [to] write. I received a letter last night that was written Nov. 3rd and I read it with pleasure. If it was old it was one of the best written letters you have sent me and you have sent many good ones. I know now that nothing cheers the heart more than a word of commendation from those we love, and

Dear Wife,

I received your last Sunday's letter last night and read it with pleasure, except that portion of it that told how hard you work. I am sorry you think it necessary to wear yourself out for fear you may come to want.

You write like a Christian, if you profess to be one I pray you to act accordingly and keep your mind free from worldly care. Don't you recall how Martha was rebuked for being careful and troubled about many things, while Mary was commended for opposite cares? I would like you to read from the sixth chapter of Matthew, commencing at the 25th verse and finish the chapter. You may find in this if you read

Loudon Valley, Nov. 26th

Dear loved Wife,

My heart was made glad last night by the reception of two letters from you, one written the 17th and the other the 20th. I was most discouraged, it had been so long since I received one, but I knew that you had written them. Last week I did not write you but one letter for I was not in camp long enough but this week we are having easier times as I told you we should in my last, but we have reports of Stonewall’s being in the valley again and of course have to strengthen our pickets. It is curious how that old fellow manages to be in so many places