Catletts Station Va. Oct. 25th/63 Dear Father Yours of the 4th inst. was rec. by me on the 10th the day before the Army Retreated from Culpepper and I was very happy to hear from you. I do not know as I shall be able to write much at this time for we are under Orders to be ready to March at a Moments notice and are liable to March at amy Moment, but in what direction I can not tell, not knowing, but I think in the direction of the Johneys (as we call the Rebes) I will not attempt to give you an account of our falling back to the Centreville Hights (where Mead halted and offered ___________________________________ 2 Gen Lee Battle) for you can (or probably have) get a much better account of it in the Papers than I can give; and time forbids my doing so, but I can assure you, that the Rebes Suffered much more (while we were falling back) than we did. They lost some 8 or 10 Guns, and from 800 to 12000 taken Prisoners. I saw 5 of the Guns and 400 at one time of the Pris -oners. I think we lost no Guns and but few taken Prisoners what the Object of the Rebel Gen was I do not know, but by his tareing up the Rail Road so and burning up the ties and heating and bending the Railes and so many Miles of it, it looks as though he intended to drive ahead in to the fortifycations around _________________________________ 3 Washington then destroy the R Road and fall back as fast as possible across the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers and then send the bulk of his forses or a large part of them either to Reinforce Brag or to check Burnsides advance towards Lynchburg. The late news from Burnside would seem to indicate that the latter Gen was the one that Lee was compelled to fall back and attend to, and at once to, for the Rebel Supplie Depot at Lynchburg is in danger if Burnside is permited to advance on that place, but a Short time will develop what Lees intentions were, but he did not dare attack Mead in his position at Centerville. _____________________________________ 4 Lee always wants to be there to Choose the Position he will fight in, and seemes to be unwilling to fight unless he can do so. our army is in good Spirets, and full confidence in Gen Mead, the Conscripts fought first rate in the fights our Men had on the Retreat. They got so earnest fighting it is said that they Shot some of the Rebes after they had Surrendered themselfs before they could stop them as you say, two years of my time has expired. I have but 11 Months from to Morrow to Serve and then I trust (if God will) that I shall be with my Friends in NH again. I shall feel that I have done my duty and be perfictly will -ing to let others try it as long as I have, but I am Strong in the faith that one year more will just about wind up the Rebelion, and as to Copperheadism that has received its death Blow in Ohio & Penn--at their last Elections all honour to those Gall -ent States, my health is first rate and Spirets good. I have rec. some Papers from you for which I feel very much obliged to you for they afforded me much Pleasure in reading them. I am happy to hear that you continue to have work a plenty, my love to Mother and all x Enqwiring Friends and God bless you all from your Affectionate Son T C Cheney