Romney Va.
January 19th 1862   directs your letters to Winchester

Dear sister and brothers it is with pleasure that I once more take the pleasure of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am not very well at this time I have got a very bad cold and the headache at this time and have for som time but I think I will be well in a few days and I hope when these few lines come to hand they will find you all well  We got where we are now the 18(?)  We are in about 4 mile of romny and Jackson and his command is about 3 mile the other side of town and the enemy is left and went across the other side of the river.  They heard that we was coming and the(y) burnt all the CS houses for about 6 miles from town and burnt a steer(?) tanery and a tanery that was worth about 20 thousand dollars or more.  We run them out of romney and across the Potomic River and burnt the bridge and the depot and got flour, coffee, sugar, bakin (bacon) over coats, 2 pile of linen and other things, I dont know what all.  W got about a hundred overcoats.  We got 5 100 barrels(?) of flour, some apples and coffee and sugar and some tents.  I don't know how many.  At Romney the place where it broke up the yankes.  Dear sister and mother I want you to write me and let me know how much corn you raised and how much foder (?) William took and how many hogs kild and how you got your corn gathered and tell William to rent(?) the same ground and rent a house (horse?)  If you can tell Unkel Mat and Sally howdy for me and all my friends.  Tell Mary Blackwell and Moor howdy for me.  I want you write where you had _____ Christmas _____ _____.  I had a dull Christmas