My dearest Mother.

     I wrote you by a member of our company going back to our old camp yesterday, and as Lieut John Horn [i.e., Lt. John Horn, Jr., Co. H, 18th Virginia Cavalry] goes to Staunton tomorrow I embrace this second opportunity. As I told you yesterday we are now camped four miles west of "Forks of waters" and about one houndred west of Charlottesville. In my last I told you that we had been subjected to foul weather since reaching this point, like April it has cleared off and today is lovely every thing looks like spring. My disease under the treatment of our able surgeon Dr King (in honor of whom the camp is named) has considerably abated, in fact has disappeared from my hands almost entirely, I hope in my next I may be able to chronicle a complete cure. My horse still looks very badly, I wish I could give him a little rest and feed, I have become so much attached to him that independent of the pecuniary loss his death would materially effect my feelings. We are the largest and best mounted company in the Reg^t Our Colonel [i.e., Col. George W. Imboden] is quite unwell Several of our men taken prisoners in the Wardensville fight [i.e., skirmish at Wardensville, West Virginia, 22 December 1862] have been exchanged, One of the badly wounded has recovered and is now in camp

Luth is well. I suppose you have seen Matt, Tomorrow I will have an opportunity to send the letters to a Federal post office Have you heard nothing from dear Father I had hoped hoped ere this to have heard of his arrival. Remember me to my dear friend Miss Kate and tell her I will write at the first opportunity. Love to all. Write soon

Your Afft Son
G Julian Pratt.