Dear wife i recieved your box last nite and was glad to get it i found every thing write except that bottle of molases the stople got out and about one third of it ran out on the piller it did not get on the rest of the stuff much you aught to tied a rag over it and then it would not have got out but it was allrite we eat the py that carline made and the one that Mrs Hendric sent last nite and a part of the donuts they was very nice Reuben Rolon [i.e., the author's nephew, Pvt. Roland M. Combs, Co. C, 14th New Hampshire Infantry] sargent Collins [i.e., Sgt. William Collins, Co. C, 14th New Hampshire Infantry] and corpril Gove [i.e., Corp. Charles H. Gove, Co. C, 14th New Hampshire Infantry] and my Self eat them they called them very nice

we eat one of your mince pies this morning and one fruit cake it was all very nice they thot your mince pie was the best but they are all very nice i let lieut Stone [i.e., 2nd Lt. George H. Stone, Co. C, 14th New Hampshire Infantry] have a peace of cake half a py and a peas of cheas two donuts two cookeys and one lump of butter he thanked you a thousand times and prased them very highly he said he asked nothing for the acomerdation to you sargont Parker [i.e., Sgt. Luther M. Parker, Co. C, 14th New Hampshire Infantry] is out on duty he will bee in this morning the rest i will attend to as soon as i see them the tirkey i have not tasted of yet i shall get some potatoes to eat with it it is all very nice and i ough you all many thanks for it

tell the givers of those gifts that i thank them for their new years gift all i can doo for them is to thank them and wish them a hapy new year take a share of it your self and the children tell Alvin i thank him for his presant and good lines i hope you will live up to it and the rest and i think they will you did not tell me how much it cost to send it here i wish you would when you write again i should have got it new years but the river at havadgrass [sp. Havre de Grace] was frozen so that the boat could not cross it snoed here yesterday all day the snow is four inches deep you aught to seene the slayride in the city all nite

it is cold here now but will soon rain soon and cary the snow all off again they are bilding barox on seventh streat now our men are out helping bild them they will bee done soon corpril Nigh [i.e., Sgt. George W. Nye, Co. C, 14th New Hampshire Infantry] has been promoted sargent it makes seel feel bad for he expected to have it i guess he will have to wate a while we had an order to move last week but it was Countrymanded the Col has been very sick but is better now the cap has got his discharge and is sneking about here wating for payday he feels rather shamey well write as often as you can tell me all the nuse tell lonzo i am a bliged to him for his new years presant and i wish you all a hapy newyear

from your affectionate husband
William Combs