My Dear Father I embrace the present Moments to write you a few lines to let you no that i am in common health at this time and hope that these lines will find you well i suppose we will go on duty in a short time i have no news of any importance write i expect we will go Back to culpeper and i then we will make an advance into Maryland again i dont no it to be so but i think that is their intention to make an other attact on the soil of Maryland
i wrote you a few lines a few days ago but had no time to write i thought i would write to you again i was not satisfied with what i wrote i dont no when i will have the chance to write again i will write every chance and i want you to do the same

     i had very bad luck with my horse Something got the Matter with him in a few days after i left home and it was about five days before i found out what was the Matter one of his stones got hurt some way but he is a heap better and Mending every day he got very stiff and could hardly walk but is now well i was offerd 8 hundred dollar and he was then in very bad fix then that was as i came on to the Regiment our horses is to be valued to day
Polke is well and expects to go home soon I will write by him when he goes home Paper is only five dollor a quire here and envelops in proportion I am going to send my Sadle back By Polke when he goes home

I will try and Send you some money By polk if he gits off I think he will be sirtian to git off
Pap if you and Elysabeth goes to git maried you must Let me no it in time to give you an answer you had beter Let that alone till thy ware is over with out you are afraid Some Body will cut you out
So I must come to a close By saying I Remain your Son

J. A. Shipman

To A R Shipman

Direct your Leter to Richmond Va and then wee can git them I dont care wher wee are

Hed Quarters 2nd N. C. Cavlary
May thy 1st 1863

My Dear Sister

     I take my pen in hand to Let you no that I am well and hoping that these fiew lines may come safe to hand and find you well
I havent mutch to Right at present onely we got Orders to go to Culpeper Va Last night and will starte thier in thy Morninge I hav Been at one [illeg] Scence I got Back
I me and Polk and Frank Boyd Started out one night to hunt Supur and wee got Bout 2 miles from camp and wee found A house and went in and wee had A fine time with thy Girles Tell Gorge Baley that I will [illeg] what me and him was talking A Bout if I can when polk came [illeg] No more From your brother J A Shipman

To N A Shipman