Dear father I take my pen in hand to Let you Now that I am Well and Well satus fied hoping that When these few Lines coms to hand and find you all Well I hav Bad nuse to Night Woodfin [i.e., Maj. John W. Woodfin, 2nd North Carolina Cavalry] has Resind his office Woodfin is magor over and other Riagment Blasingame is thrown out of his ofice he Went out one sundy and jump on A Boy and Beate him Badly so I herd he Was throwd out to Day thy is 6 of our men on furlows for nine Days F. M. Corn [i.e., Pvt. Francis M. Corn, Co. G, 1st North Carolina Cavalry] is one of them he's going to start to Marovile at 2 oclock I can get to go too But $30 Dollars to go and com and onely hav nine Days to go in Wee Dont now When Wee Will Leave hear Wee are in 6 miles of va and I Did Not visit tell the other [illeg]

Wee hav A Right smart of sickness her they is Ben onely one Deth in this Ragment
Since Wee hav Ben her one of Captn Crumplers men Died this morning they Will send him of to marow By the cares Wee starte Next thursday to Ritchmon va and you need not Answer this Leter for Wee Will Begin Before it can get here Wee Will Right as soon As wee get stationed A gain Jackson Stepp [i.e., Pvt. Jackson Stepp, Co. G, 1st North Carolina Cavalry] is very Bad off and I Dont expect he Will Be Able to go With us you need not Be uneasy A Bout me for ican take care of my self I hav got thy Best mess in the Buncom Rangers and they are all Well and Well satusfied onely Stepp he is very Bad off so I must Bring my Leter to A close By say ing I Re main your Deer son untill Deth

J A Shipman to A R Shipman

I Dont need eney socks at all 2 [illeg] at present