4 Pages in Ink by Samuel Wakelee 14th CV about Battle of Fredericksburg.  "Thursday Dec. 18, 1862Falmouth, VA______ I told you that I would write about the war. I come from Falmouth this morning and we cannot get our load today and we shall stay all night and I am a going to write a little. We had a hard battle. I never heard such shooting in my life. It was a continual roar. The Rebels had strong fortifications. We drove them behind there breast works and there they stayed all day. They killed more of our men than we did of their men. They say they is about five thousand killed on both sides. They don’t know anything about it for they is some wounded and some ran away and haven’t get back yet and our regiment has gone to camp again. Our side stopped fighting first. I don’t know what made them nor I can’t find out nor I don’t care. If they don’t fight any more for they have fit enough. I bought a paper yesterday and the south is a suffering badly. The women said they and their children will starve if the war don’t stop. They have not got any clothes nor shoes to wear. Shoes cost from $6 to $15 a pair. The women said they had not got any flour. They had to take corn meal to make bread and they was not corn enough to fat the hogs. They was not any to sell nor buy. She prayed all the while to have the war stop and I hope it will stop for it looks pretty hard to see men all shot to pieces. Our Colonel (Sanford H Perkins) was wounded. He had a ball shot through his neck just below his ears. I should thought it would killed him but he is getting along first rate. Our Major ( Cyrus C Clark) was wounded in his side. They was a good many wounded in our regiment and they is a great many sick. Tell Mother know Botsford has got home. She had better get Lucus and get them barks. Half of them is his. He and Lucius can get them. I have got to wait til next week before I can send for that Turkey and I don’t know as I can. Then I want you to put in my vest if aunt will let you have it. I may forget it when I write but don’t you forget for I want it. I don’t see where that letter you send that money in went to. I may get it yet for Mr. Powell wrote one the 2 3 4 and I got it yesterday. You wrote you’re the 10 Dec and he wrote his the 29 Nov so that may come along yet. Try another put in $2 that is enough for them to get at once. When did you send it. I got Charles yesterday $1 in it. Samuel B WakeleeWhen be you a going over to Chum again. You tell her that you are again to stay to supper. I want to have you to see if she has got any thing to eat. If I was in your place I would tease her for a Christmas supper. I want you to write when she kills her hog and let me know for I reckon they look like Edson Hasser. I should think she would be a shame to any body kill them.