My dear Sister:

     This is a Saturday-evening—just cool enough to make a fire pleasant to one who lives in the open air—away up here in the famous Virginia Valley, one of the loveliest regions it has ever been my lot to tabernacle in. We are now eighteen miles above Winchester—twenty-eight miles nearer Staunton than when I last wrote you,—but we marched at lest sixty or seventy-five miles, by a circuitous route—to reach here. The last letter I wrote you was dated Oct'r 15th; but I never had an opportunity to mail it. I became quite sick about that time—our Surgeon pronouncing it a threatened attack of billious Fever. I never left Camp; but was with the Regiment all the time. We have been marching constantly for a month—first advancing to meet the enemy—then retiring before the advance,—then to tear up and destroy Rail Roads, etc. We had a considerable fall of snow on the 7th inst., while in bivouac near Front Royal. The enemy had been advancing slowly on us for several days—we meantime retreating from beyond the Blue Ridge by Ashby's gap into the valley. We fell back to Front Royal in Warren County, and there going into Bivouac, quietly awaited his approach. On the 6th inst we had heavy skirmishing with Artillery in the mountains—the enemy driving us back. The skirmishing was with the pickets. I was out in command of One picket station—where the Manassas Gap Rail Road enters the Blue Ridge—,but was ordered to fall back before the enemy

reached my station—the road upon which the main advance was being made entering Front Royal three miles in my rear. I was in danger of being cut off from the main body of our troops. I fell back with Artillery and Infantry in time to go into line of battle with the remainder of the troops. This was about three O clock. We remained in line of battle until after dark, when we were ordered to fall back across the Shenandoah River. It was very cold, and I was suffering with Neuralgia in my teeth. The poor men had to wade the river. I was left behind in charge of the picket. We crossed after every one else had gone over about eleven or twelve o'clock at night. We picketed the river banks, and the next morning it began snowing, and snowed briskly all that day, and part of the night. Just before night I was relieved. The fun of it was that the same night we retreated the Yankees themselves fell back four miles. Our cavalry, sent out to reconnoiter the next day, could find nothing of them. We abandoned the region about Front Royal, and retired twelve miles to Strasburg, and here we are now resting quietly, but for how long no mortal is unable to say—especially as we are under command of Lieut.-Gen'l T. J. Jackson. It would break the hearts of the ladies of our county who are far away from the desolate and bloody battle-fields of Northern Virginia and who are unaccustomed to seeing the hardships and privations which a Soldier in an active campaign has to bear, to see the destitution of this part of our army. It is not one or two who are without shoes and half-clad; but it is the greater part of every company in our regiment who are in this condition.

as soon as it is possible.

Tell Uncle Moses I am well and wish to be remembered to him; and that when cold weather comes, I want him to have good shelters made for my cows and calves and sheep and hogs, and that he may buy 1500 cypress boards, so that he can make his shelters strong and water-proof — to have the mare and colt turned into an open field for at least two hours every fair day to take exercise — to have the shuck-pins well covered, and to save plenty of peas to feed my cows and calves.
Tell Hagar that Ransom is well.
Well, Sister, it is getting too dark to write, and you know we don't burn candles, even when we have them, in the open air.
Give my love to all the family and to Dr., when you write to him and to the dear children with many Kisses. I was exceedingly glad to hear they were doing so well. God bless and preserve you all!

Your affectionate Brother,
W. W. Sillers