Fredericksburg, Va. Aug 11, 1862

Dear Mother, I received your most kind letter yesterday and I have just seated myself to answer it.  I am well and in good spirits, and hope these few lines will find you all enjoying the same blessings.  I wrote to you day before yesterday.  I was very much rejoiced to hear from you.  It is a great satisfaction to me to know that you are all well.  It is true we have been seeing some hard times but we are willing to suffer most anything to beat down the rebbles and end this cruel war.  It is horrible to think of the suffering this war is causing.  I think it is a shame the young men in the north do not come out and help put down the rebellion.  I think there are some there who are showing themselves to be cowards and I hope they will be drafted at once.  To be sure there are some men that cannot leave their families, there is some excuse for them but for the young unmarried men there is no excuse for them.  There are better men then them that have sacrificed their life for their country.  It is too bad for our now weakened army, fighting an enemy nearly twice their number when we could get enough men if they would come out to put them down at once but I hear they are preparing to draft them and then they will have to come out.  I think if they send out more troops the war would be ended at once.  I hope pap will not be drafted but I do not think there is much danger for he is over 45 and they do not draft any over that.  How is Dave Atchison getting along raising his company?  I hope he will succeed.  I heard last night that Tom McKennon is coming to this company.  You said you had heard that there was someone of our company going to be discharged on account of being to young and not able to stand the hardships but you heard wrong for it is some of the old men instead of the young boys.  The boys stand the hardships a great deal better than the men.  I am glad you have plenty of fruit there.  I would like to be there very much to get some but I do not want you to send me any for the cost would over-run the profit but I hope to be there this winter if I am spared to help you eat some of it.  I am very glad the mare has got a colt.  I would like to be there to see it.  I suppose the boys are greatly tickled about it.  Tell them that I have not thought of any name for it yet but if they want to call it any name they can do it.  I am glad you got the money alright but I don't want you to talk about making it alright for it is yours not mine.  I got the letter and paper you sent me.  You need not send me any more ledgers for somehow I have not got the same taste for reading them that I used to have.  I see enough of adventure myself without reading others peoples adventures.

            I like this country a great deal better than South Carolina.  I am glad you saw Doc Durants letter, every word of it is true.  I wish you would get all his letters for you can hear more in them that I can tell you.  We have got new tents.  They are large ones and we have 15 to 20 in a tent.  We have just got orders to march.   We are going on a march of 5 days and we have to store away our extra clothing and every man has to get an extra pair of shoes but the order may be countermanded which it often is.  I will write soon and let you know what we are doing.  Our company went out on a scout last night to capture a lot of rebbles who were supposed to hold meetings at a house about 10 miles from here but when we went and watched for them they did not come so we had to tramp back without having any fun.  I must draw this to a close.  Is there any school now and is the children going.  Tell sis and the boys to study hard and learn all they can and they will know the use of it when they are older.

            I am very sorry to hear Aunt Mary is so ill.  Tell here I can excuse her for not writing when she is sick although I would like to get a letter from here.  Give my love to her and grandmother.  Tell me when you write again do you ever hear from Aunt Eliza and how is she?  I wrote to Mary Adams yesterday and also to John Michell but I must close.  My love to one and all of you.  Give my best respects to all inquiring friends and excuse this bad writing. 

Good bye, write soon

From your affectionate Alex Adams

Direct your letters to Alexander Adams Co. A 100th P.V. Burnsides division 9th Army Corps Va. via Washington D.C.

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