Denson, Virginius S. (fl. 1842) to Miss Denson

[draft]
My Dear Sister,

This is Sunday and a beautiful day, it is but rather a dull one in camp and while I am thinking of old Pittsbu. I will answer the kind and affectionate letter which I have just received a few days since from you and I assure you that it was received with joy. I had been anxiously waiting to hear from you and after looking from day to day and weeks to weeks yes for months, but I will have too excuse your long delay, as you excuse is a very good one. Dear Sister you can't imagine how it cheers up the heavy hart of a soldier in camp where there is nothing but piney woods and tents, there is nothing cheerful at all, the drums would be cheering to some but not to thise that has been in the army as long as I have but I will read your kind letter over again, it will cheer me up.
I was delighted to hear from you and all of the family and now I feel like another person since I received the long look for letter. I have been anxiously waiting to hear something from Brother Clarce but have not had a letter from him cince I left Kinston and that has been more then a month ago, I have writen to him twice since my arrival here, but perhaps he has been so very busey that he could not take time to write, last week I went to the city of Richmond to visit my dear old Aunt, I spent the day with her, she is very well and in better health now than she was before the War. I gave her the pin which you requested me to do, she said that she would like very much to see you and if you could come to Richmond this coming Summer, you could spend a pleasant time with here, she is a dear old Aunt, now for the news from Portsmouth, I heard thrugh a lady that has just come out of the lines, she is very well acquainted with our family and went to see them just before she left they were all very well.
Brother Joe is having a nice time wondering around the city in the evening, horseback for his health he is crippled and they cannot put him in the Army.
Pa sent word that he was going to send me some things out in the Spring, this lady is Mrs Boork, she says that the people all think that the war will come to a close this year and the Yankee's say that they cannot subjugate the South, they say that we are determined not to be subdued, they have been told the truth for once it is something strange for the Yankee to speak the truth, the Union people is geting frightened. 0, I hope we will catch them there when we go back. Aunt Barshey has received a letter from Pa, she read it to me he spoke beautifully of my dear departed Sister, 0, every time I write her name I cannot help sheding tears, he spoke also about his brave boy and said 0, that I could see him just a short time, would that I could see him and all the rest of the family. Pa calls me brave, I am not very brave, but it is my duty here in ranks in the Army and no when els sometimes while pasing through city. I see young men with
citizen clothes on it allmost attempts me to give up and go home but no that will not do because they walk out of the army that is no reason why I should, no I remain just here and do my duty what is a home without a country. I am too part and band until this war comes to a close. Pa says that he is proud of me and I must hold out faithful to the end.
Dear Sis, when I receive letters like the one which I have just received from you it encourages me when I think of the loved ones at home and in Pittsburg, it seems to me that I could fight harder just after I received your letter than ever I think of you and Brother and my dear old home in Portsmouth day and night, 0, that this war was over so we could go to Portsmouth in a party together, it would be a happy meeting and I no that Pa and Ma would be delighted to see you, it seems to me that the just God gave you to us to take the place one dear Sister, that is now in the valiant graveyard I think that Brother Cloud ought to be a happy man if I had a kind and affectionate wife as you are I think I should be happy.
Tell Mary C. that I will not forget her and that I think of her very often. I would life very much to come to Pittsbu. in the Spring but I expect just about the time I went to furlough the active companies will come if do not get one in the Spring I can get one in the Fall, that is if I am living if I get wounded this Yerman G. will let you all no, I was to get a slight wound I could get a furlough, when you write to Miss Mary give her my respects and dear sis do write to me often, give my love to all, kiss the little one. I remain your affectionate Brother.
V.S. Denson
Co. G.
9th Va. Infantry
Barton's Brgd.
Pickett's Divs.