Frederick County Va
Sept the 9th 1864

Dear wife

I take the present opportunity of addressing you with a few lines to inform you I recd two letters from you when I got to the regt, but both or them were written in July.

I was glad to hear of you getting along so well & that you were all well and hearty and had plenty of beans to eat. It made my mouth water to hear of beans, for I havent eaten any this year.

We are living on beef & bread and corn when we steal it. I would like to be with you and try some of your beans. We are now lying close to the enemy near Brucetown & picketing on the Opaquan Creek. We have a skirmish every day with the yanks. Charles Kelly was killed day before yesterday in a picket fight on the Opaquan. The ball struck him in the neck, killing him instantly We had some few others wounded in the regt. Our regt numbers now about one hundred mounted men and hardly any officers, they have all been killed or wounded.

Barnet is in command of the regt. We have seen the hardest service this summer we ever did & are seeing it yet. I sent some little tricks home by Tom Vermillion, 2 pair of little socks & a set coat buttons, get them. I want the buttons put on a coat for winter. I also sent a hat for Crock & a yankee candlestick home by John Dills. Write to me whether you get them or not.

Several of the boys are getting details to go home after horses. I will get one the first chance and come home if I have to sell my horse to do it, for I want to come home the worst I ever did since I have been out. If I am not killed you may look for me the last of the month if there is any chance at all.

Have me a pair pants made for I need them very badly. I havent time or paper to write what I want to write. I will close, take good care of your corn. Commence feeding what hogs there is alive on corn. I am not well by a good deal. I am crippled up with the rheumatism, so I havent done any duty since the surprise at Moorfield.

Write soon as you get this.

Yours & c
I. V. Reynolds.