This the 12 of May 1863
Camp of the 18 ga grey  Near Fredericksburg

Dear Miss   I take the opportunity to address you a few lines to let you know that I am well and am out safe. I hope those few lines will come to hand and find you and all the rest well.  Dear friend I received your kind letter.  youz it was sed that their was no happiness to be seene hear  that is so.  but their is a hepe of trubble hear we dont now whether we will live a day or not and their is times we dont now whether we will live to see the next our or the next minit or not   you better bleave it is the serious thing that that ever I was in   I makes me feel bad an lonsom to think of it.  I cant inform you how it makes us feal.  I was glad to hear that you was well.  I have not much to rite to you  you have heard of the fight.  I received your letter after I com out of the fight   I feal happy that I was spaired out to read your kind letter.  I have not had time to rite till now. We jus got back to our old camps yestady.  Two weeks to day since we left our camps. we was in the line of battle 7 or 8 days and knights.  I am a fraid thay will not many of us tha will see peace, but I hope we will see our pleasure to gether and peace in this world.  Now is the time to gow to church.  loks like all of the Cons will die and get kild if the war lasts 4 or 5 year  I dont know what you girls will do for seete harts.  if peace was made in that time.  I was sorry to hear Jack Ash was ded.  Loid is well, Henry White ses he is he is jus com from their and all the rest of the boys that is left.  I wish I cold see you and talk with you it wold be a grate deal of pleasure to me bu lord only knows wether we will ever meete in this world or not, if not I hope we will meete in heavin.  did you ever get the yankey love letter I sent to you.  A girl sent it to me.    R. T. R to M. J. C. Smith