Camped at Culpepper C H Va. Oct 2nd, 1863 Dear Brother I rec. your kind letter of the 27th inst yesterday and was very happy to hear from you. I also rec. the Pictorial you sent, at the same time. I am much obliged to you for it. It is quite interesting. Tell Lydia I am Verry!! Verry!!! much obliged to her for the Tea She sent to me, it is Nice. I steeped some for Supper last Night and again this Morning. It was just what I wanted, for I had sort of a dull Head Ache yestarday, and that Tea was good for it. where I have to drink Coffee most all the time as I have had to lately; I am very apt to have the Head Ache, one of our Boys that went home on a Furlough brought me out 1 Pound of Tea when he came back, but I had used that most all up. I have not more than enough for a couple _________________________________ 2 of Messes more. I always like to have a little on hand in case I am sick, it is so much better than Coffee. I wish I might get a pretty Bird or Squirel to send her, but they are scarse. I have seen none different from what you have in NH, even if I could find any it would be very difficult to get them to you. I could not send them by mail. Perhaps I may find something pretty to send. Yes, as you say the Copper Heads got most a terible thrashing in Maine, sort of a Gettysburg to them, now. I hope they will catch it in Penn--NY,--and Ohio, the same, then they will be likely to dry up about making Peace with the Traitors of the South. The Soldier is the Man that has to suffer most in this war, but you do not hear Him crying Peace at any Price, Not He. He says lay down your Armour, Swear allea -gence to the Constitution and the Union then you shall have Peace. ____________________________________ 3 We will not suffer to have all the Labour we have done and the Trials we have passed through, thrown away by a few Cowardly petafogling Copperhead Polititians of the North, Not We. So let them take warning. Rosecrans it seemes has met with a reverse at or near Chattanooga. I guess he and his Men found some differance in fighting Longstreets and Hills Troops from Lees Army to what they have heretofore in fighting Brags and Brechenriges Troops. They have found out now what kind of struggle the Army of the Potomac has had to deal with, but the Old Army of the Potomac, has always been able to take care of them when they have fought them on any thing like an equal footing. I will make a statement which I think will prove true, "the next time that Brag; Longstreet; and Hill fight Rosecrans; they will find they are fighting against some (or a good many) of the Old Soldiers of the Army of ____________________________________ 4 the Potomac. I know not for a cirt -inty that any Troops have gone from this Army to reinforce Rosecrans, but I am as well satisfied of it as though I did know it that there has from two to four Army Corps left here for that purpos. This will reduce Meads forces so small that Probably there will not be much done by this Army this fall unless the Johney Rebes should take a notion of trying us on again, it has rained Very hard here all the AM, it came down in torrents. Lydia would think our house (or Tent) made of very thyn Cotton Cloth very poor protection against such a storm. it is rather poor, as the rain spatters right through it, but we mannage to get along first rate, my health is excellent and Spirets good the health of the Co. is good. We expect 30 new men here this week to join the Battery. The Gov. has notified the Capt. that he has sent that number. That will entitle us to two more Guns, that will be much better than a 4 Gun Battery. Rachel and the Children were all well the last I heard from them. Write to me. Give her my love, accept for ______________________________________ 5 x yourself and Family, your Brother T C Cheney