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Highland County, Va. Sept 21st 1861

Dear wife, it is with much pleasure that I grasp the present opportunity to inform you that this day finds me [ ]and I would rejoice to know that these few lines would find you and all the children well. We are yet at [ ] although our regiment has gone back to Greenbrier. I expect that we would have gone with them but the

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we will stay here we are expecting to have to leave every day nearly. The report is that General Lee has cut of the supplies of the Yankeys and that they will have to leave Cheatmon [?] [ ] we do not know which way they will try to get out so our armeys are prepareing for them on both sides and guess they will give the Yankeys fits this time but this would be a bad time to fight for their's [?] the

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if not healthyer. I am gaining pounds very fast. I have not found going to war as bad as I expected to so far. Colonel Fulkerson is sending his sick men in hear. There is a great [] there has been sixty or seventy soldiers died at this place principally from that retreat. There is not much pains taken with the dead hear they are not put more than two or three feet deep. I would love to see [ ] and it may turn out so that I will get to be at home some this winter for the Colonel intends to try to get to winter at Abingdon this winter to winter his men

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but I do not know whether he will or not. Fielden and John Kindrick has been to see [me]. They both look very hearty and well. I have seen several of the russell boys. I would be glad to see you and our little children but [ ] I would be glad to hear from you. I want you to remember me in your prayers. I rejoice to tell you that I feel since we have been hear [here] that If I was called to go to another world that I would go to the rest that [ ] for all the people of god. Celina try to meet me [ ] children. I have started three letters since I left home and have never heard from you. So I want you to write often to me and let me know how my affairs are going on. Now do not neglect to write for when we get up of a morning the first thing is to go to the post office so I must close. So farewell Celina for this time.

William C. Combs.