Written from Culpepper County, Virginia. Letter regards Andrew J. McCoy's health and family matters.

Oct 25th, 1863 Camp Near Brandy Station, Culpeper Co. Va. Miss Martha E. McCoy

Dear Affectionate Sister- It is with a considerable degree of pleasure within myself that I will now take my pen in hand to address to you a few lines in order to let you know that I am in tolerable good health at this present occasion, with the exception of a very bad cold that I have had for several days past which caused me to feel somewhat under the weather. But I truly hope that when this reaches you that all of you may be in the enjoyment of [special] good health through the blessings of God the Preserver of all our health & happiness in this world of sorrow & c.

I am truly pained to learn that the health of the people of Highland Co. & especially in the neighborhood of old Doe Hill has become so disastrous & bad with disease & sickness again, & that death has again visited that vicinity. It is truly taking everything into consideration between that & the trials of this war a very solemn & serious matter, but if it is God['s] will we must try & live to endure the afflictions that is to befall us in this life & make preparations with our almighty God to meet them in consequence of our behalf through the grace of Jesus Christ for the salvation of our souls in the world to come & c. But I will have to close on this subject for the present, hoping to God that he may speed you all & myself on the way in this great work.

I was sorry to hear of mother's misfortune & loss of losing her horses & the great drawback it will cause upon her with her work & c. But I suppose from what I can learn that there is no chance for her ever to get them back again. It is a great pity but what she could. Also the thieving rascals that taken them should share the punishment that they so justly deserve. I am also ashamed to know that southern men will be guilty of such disgraceful depredations on our own people, especially a poor helpless woman that is left in her situation, but I hope that such men will meet with the doom that becomes such villains. Martha I did not get your last letter until a day or two ago on account of the army being on motion. We did not get our regular mail until we got back off of our last trip after the yankees. I will not attempt to try to give you the particulars of our trip this time as John I. Rumisel has gone home on furlough & he will tell you all about the matter & consequently I have but little news to write to you at present.

Jared M. Wilson & Josiah Armstrong come back to the company night before last & both of them look better than ever. I saw them they look fat & fine. The rest of the boys are all well & hearty. Lieut. J. L. Hempstead is going to start away in the morning on furlough of twenty days so our company will be left without an officer until he returns again.

Martha I forgot to write to Sarah to send me a pair of mittens & I want her to send me a good heavy pair of half soles for my shoes if she can get them if she can get them by Rumisel when he comes back. I want you if you please to let her know as soon as you get this letter if it comes to hand in time. I also had on a new jeans vest when I left home. It was so warm & I left it at Augustus Stowbuses on North River Augusta Co. I would like if to have it if he can bring it to me.

You said in your letter something about naming that big boy you say I have out there if I had no name for him. I have no particular objection to the name you proposed to me to call it but I will tell you what name I had thought to give it but I still neglected to send the name to Sarah, it was Davis Jackson. Write to me & let me know what you think of my name for him not that I object to your name at all.

I must close. You must excuse this kin of ink. I expect it will fade so can't read this letter at all. Very Respectfully yours & c. Your Brother Andr. J. McCoy.

Write immediately to me. Good by. Give my kindest regards to Caroline & family & all of my relations & friends. Tell mother she is due me a letter. I wrote to her some time ago & never received a letter from her

Written from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards family matters and goods sent to Andrew J. McCoy from family members. Letter consists of two pages with the remainder missing.

January 16th, 1864 Camp Near Pisgah Church, Orange Co., VA.

My dear sister Miss M. E. McCoy It is again that I take my pen in hand this evening in haste to write you a few lines in order to inform you that I am yet alive & well at this present time. I truly hope that these few lines may find you & Caroline's family & also all of my friends & relations in the enjoyment of the same great & highly favored blessing.

Indeed Martha I have not any news to communicate to you at this time that would be interesting to you. I just write this to let you know how I am getting along & as I have a good chance of sending it to you as W.H. Wilson is going to start home in the morning on furlough & he can tell you all more satisfactorily how we are situated & can give you the news generally with more satisfaction than I can write to you. John T. Armstrong & Chismas Malcomb landed in camp and last night they left Able & Christian Simmons at Orange. Jared M. Wilson & Josiah Wilson has gone up to the Depot to meet them with two wagons to haul our boxes. Since I have been writing they have come in about dark with their load & all was right so far as we have yet seen.

I got my barrel. There was seven cheeses in it that Mother wanted me to sell for her. I will try to sell them to the best advantage & send the money home to her by some of those men. I also got four letters, one from you, one from mother, & two from Sarah. You stated in your letter that you had sent me a pound cake in Jared's barrel. I have not seen him tonight yet to say anything to him about it. He stays over at Capt. Merritt's quarters with Jared Armstrong. I will see him soon but if I get it I will be truly thankful to you for it & when I eat it I will think of my dear sister Mat who sent it to me.

You said in your letter that you had written several letters to me lately & that you hadn't got any answers from me. If you wrote I assure you that I never got them. I have not got but one letter from you for more than a month until tonight & that you was afraid that I would forget you but I can tell you that is not the case. Oh it would do me so much good to see you all once more & have a general talk with you all again. I would do my very heart good...

Written from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards Andrew J. McCoy's health and the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid.

March 11th, 1864 Camp, 25th Va. Infantry. Orange Co., Va.

My dear sister It is again after my respects to you that I avail myself of the privilege of dropping you a few lines in order to let you know how I am getting along & c.

I am in only tolerable health at this time & have been unwell for some time past. I am not doing any duty now & I don't feel at the present like doing any duty for some time yet. I have been troubled for about a month with some kind of a disease of the bowels and attended with a considerable swelling of the abdomen & pain in my left side & through my back & limbs & to make the matter worse with me I have taken a prodigiously bad cold & the worst kind of sore mouth & also my throat is somewhat sore. The Doctor would never tell me what he thought my complaint was. I have been going through a regular course of medicine & I am still under the charge of a Doctor but I hope that I will recover from my illness soon & in good health. I suppose it all originated from cold & exposure. I have had my health extremely well ever since I have been with the army since I last left home until now. I had thought that I was going to get along finely but it seems as though I was somewhat disappointed. But I hope these few lines may find you in the enjoyment of good health but notwithstanding I was very sorry to hear that you & Caroline had been very unwell some time ago but I truly hope that you are both in good health again &.

I have nothing of much importance to write about at present. Everything along our lines appears perfectly quiet at this time but the Yankees tried to make a raid on Richmond last week but they was defeated & driven back with considerable loss. Their raiders consisted of Kilpatricks cavalry & mounted infantry about fifteen thousand strong. Col. Dahlgren was killed in the fight & the whole program of their raid was found in his pocket which showed to our people the villains intentions if they could of succeeded. They had for their main object to try & release the prisoners that we hold of theirs at Richmond at the Libby prison & then they was going to murder Jeff Davis & his cabinet & all the leading men of Richmond & then plunder & take off what they could & then burn the city down regardless of the women & children or anything else & destroy all that they could in the country that would render any service to the Rebels whatever. This was the plot that was found in the possession of the villain Yankee Col. Dahlgren commanding a part of their force.

As I do not feel much like writing today I shall close for the present hoping to hear from you soon by letter. You must excuse my scribbling & c. for I am in very much of a hurry. I remain your friend & brother as ever until death. A. J. McCoy.