Dear Parents, After a long and tiresome march of twelve days, I have just arrived at the Regiment.  I marched 180 miles before I got to the Regiment.  Pa, these lines leave me very well.  I have not received but one letter since I have been wounded from you nor Mag and that was the letter that Uncle Thom brought me, but I received some from some where else that done me as much good as if they had of been from home.  Though Father I am anxious to hear from you all and I want you to tell me about Frank.  I can't hear whether he is dead or what has become of him.  I seen one of his company and he told me he was shot but he did not know whether he was killed or not.  I am very uneasy about him.  I seen this man in Staunton but we are at Orange Court House.  I can't tell anything about the lines of the enemy.  Some think at Fredericksburg or at Weldon on the Roanoke River.  But I will stop writing about that for I can't give any information about the war for I don't think I am smart enought to tell anything about this war.  But I don't think there will even be much more fighting after this summer.  Pa our Regiment is most all ... in our camp and then was but ... after the fight but we have no officer in our company, only one Captain in the Regiment.  The balance killed and wounded and taken prisoner.  Colonel Christie is dead, Tempy Thompson and Hugh Little, Dock Lochman, Lieutenant William Mundy was killed and several more.  But you would not know them if I was to tell you.  Pa, I heard since commensing writing that the Yankees are at Culpepper and we are ordered to not leave camp for the Yankees is advancing on us and we are expecting another hard fight.  I hope we may be able to repel them and drive them from our soil but I am afraid we will not be enough in number.  Pa, the remnant of our Brigade is attached to General Ransover Brigade.  He is son of Little Jake Ransover in Lincolnton.  He is one of the best men I ever saw.
Well Mag, I have not received a line from you since I left the Reg.  I think you've written to me but I never received them.  Mag I would be glad to see you for I know you could tell me since I went to Richmond, for I spent some pleasant hours in Richmond with those girls that came from North Carolina to Richmond ... the camp meeting.  Mag if you know anything about my old sweetheart, tell me easy for I know you have heard something.  Give me all the news in fall.  Take your time and write me about two sheets.  I haven't heard from home in so long.  I want you and Pa to give me all that you can think of.  I expect Pa will have to buy me a pair of shoes for winter as I soon will be barefooted.  My dear mother, you have no idea how I crave to get to your embrace once more.  I still hope we meet on earth again but if we never meet on earth I hope we may all meet in heaven.  Let me hear from you all soon.  I will close by saying, I remain your loving son.
                                                                          J.A. Thompson