October the 5, 1862

Dear wife

    I this eavning ingage my self a few moments in writeing you a few words to pas the time away in thinking of the. I shall go crasy if I cant get a letter from you soon and hear how every thing is. Please to write soon as you get this if you have not wrote before if you have writen to me I have not received answer yet. I wrote one to farther and one to your Sister Nancy and sent it by Henry Brooks that was discharged from our company below richmond and I writen two to you the first one I wrote to you I sent it by mr Moncure and the other one I sent it by mail in car of mr Groty.   I heard from Farther he said all was well but that wont satisfy me until I get a letter from you. Send me wird what for a crop farther has and if you have any sweet potatoes and if you have any keep some for me for if I cant get home no other way. I will runaway and come home soon as I can get a good chance. I hate mity bad to runaway but I want to see you all so bad that I think I shall try that trick if I cant hear from you soon. I am all ways thinking about you all how did James Henry get along with the yankes and Abram Bloxham and send me wird what the yankes have taken from all the nabours. I heard that they had taken uncle William Payne house and I heard that cousin Mary Groves was dead and miss Sally Rockafellow. We are well at presant. Send me word if the children talk about me much or not and if willy can talk yet. 0 I would be so glad to see him. here my best respects to you all give my love to all my friend if I have any but it seames as if I have none for I cant get a letter from any of you. I was at preaching this eavning.  we have meating every sunday when we are in camp we are encamped in about one and half miles of bungers (Bunker’s) hill and twelve miles from winchester we came here saturday a week a goe last night. I expect you have ben hard up for money but I could not send you any I have not had no way to send it you must excuse me for writing to you with a pensyl for ink pen and paper are hard to get here. You may direct your letter to winchester Frederick county va to the camp of col. Lyal 47 va ragement and fiel (Field’s) brigade and A. P. hill division and if you dont know how to directed it get some person to show you. I will now come to a close but still remain your Husband until death

John W. Watson