James H. Richardson Letter #1

                 march the 26 1862
	Dear Brother and sister I take this
present time to inform you that I am in 
tolerable and I hope these few lines may
find you all well. I have nothing to write
this time only we went up to the gap and had
the pleasure of retreating home A gain. we 
weent up last fryday and laid in 'a'(unsure
 of the word) mile of of them and Saturday 
Morningwe Commeched fireing on them and 
Kild A good many of them. They Kild none of
us but they Crippeld Some few. They Could
Shoot as far as us with there cannons. we
Shot 10 pound balls and they shot 64 pound
Balls. They Coulden Shoot So Strait as we
could.  we was the batery gards and they
Shot all there Guns to wards us and Some
of them Bursted and some diden and Some
of them Bussted Amongts us and there was
where falling took plase we all fell flat
Down and the (ineligble) all went over our
heads. we fired ours them till Dark and
laid there till Dark and laid there till 
Sunday Morning came home. the Devil Cant
get them from behind there breast works
if they would come out we Could whip them.
	I havnt got A letter for along time
you must write soon and often so I will
close you will se the proceeding of us
in the paper. 
Remaining Yours James H
Richeson to William Caldwell and his
Wife.
Camp Cumberland Ford
Dear Friend I have not forgot you yet.
I often think of our last time that we
have had together well ..... we all had
a ....... Sreth? of what we have been
 wanting, but Diden come out Wright 
Though. We all want to fite so bad that
once and awhile they fite themselves. 
I took a samll Knock the other Day and
accidently came of pirty well. You no
John measey? Ross (Rose) on the
railroad knocked me down and set down on
me and I had no more sens then to feel
for his Cookers? and succeeded in finding
and pulled them pirty near out. I wanted
to look at them and he was seting on me
A licking my fingers, at last I heard
him say let us quit. I told him to hold 
on till supper was ready and that caused
a big laugh. you must not tell no one
Write soon
James H R 
to ..... Caldwell
They was nothing Done with me for it.