Dear Mother

     I received your letter on the 6 ^inst and was glad to hear from home and to hear that the yankees had not interrupted you all yet Mother how did you Spend your chrismast. I'll tell you how I spent mine. On wednesday before chrismast day orders came to cook up five days rations and put in our haversack so we started about 2 o'clock we took a roundabout way and reached Dumfrees [Sp. Dumfries] on friday about 12 oclock the advance guard reported yankees close at hand So old Stuart Sent the Gallant Ninth ahead to arous the Vandals we got about half way on our determined way of Success when old Stuart from an adjoining hight found the Enemy to be in a pretty large force So he planted a piece and oppened with such precision as which threw them in some Confusion after a while they formed, But they could not Stand the fire of our artillery. We took 86 prisoners with wich our Squadron took charge of. So I beleave I have given you all the news. Give my love to Grandma

Good Bye
J.O.P

Sunday Morning
January 1[ ]th 1863
camp Near Loyds
Esix [sp. Essex] county Va

Mr^s Nancy Peed
King Georg