Dear Father And Mother

     I thought I would write A few lines to let you know that I am well and I hope this will find you the same they are trying to rase a muss this evening. they say the rebs have bin going a round to our left for some time. I guess they think if they make a fuss here it will draw them back. I think they dont want the rebs to git to far a round on our left they might take us in out of the wet.

     I would not have wrote so soon but I got them boots and tobacco he sent them by mail the postage was $3.60 that is heavy I think the tobacco he cut in two and put a piece in each boot the boots fit fine I like them first rate I am a thousand times obbliged for them I expect you will git tired of paying for soldiers letters I write a bout every other day but three cents is not mutch. George Pence [i.e., Pvt. George W. Pence, Co. E, 7th Iowa Infantry] was here to day from the.7.Iowa. he looks fine it is the first time I have saw him since he come in to the servis. John Foster [i.e., Sgt. John L. Foster, Co. E, 7th Iowa Infantry] was killed on the 4 of this mont I dont know as you know him. George was

over to the 10 and 16 vt they ar all well and doing fine. supper is reddy and the mail is going out so I will have to bring this to a close. You must write often to your hopeful

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William M Maley
E. A. Maley