Culpepper VaNov 19th 1863My dear Wife,

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I started by express to day $175,00 to you, for you to use as [       ] good in your need, hoping that it will be accepta-ble to you. It gives me great pleasure to be able to this much for you. I wish I could do more. It costs me a great deal more to live here than it did at Poolville every thing is so high Yesterday I bought some button that I had to pay 75 cents a [     ] for and 50 cents for a gallon of milk, and only 100$ a piece for very poor chickens. Perhaps you would say, why do you buy them? Because I must have some thing to eat. I can tell you we have rough times in the eating line. But I hope this wont last much longer. When I think that I am doing all this for the good of my dear ones at home I feel cheerful and happy under all these difficulties. I do not tell of this to complain but to let you know how I spend my morning. Now dont let this distract one particle from your comfort, for if it should I should feel that I was not contributing so much to your happi-ness. Therefore it would take diminish in a

great degree from the pleasure I experience in earning the money. I should like to be there to enjoy it with you of course.

I do not understand why I do not hear from you oftener. I you know half the pleasure I feel when I get a letter from you, you would devote more time to contribute to that pleasure I am very well and getting quite fleshy again, can eat as hearty as a growing boy-

Col Henry has started for home to day sick. Perhaps I can get him to [    ] some things back for me if you could get them to him. I will write to him and see if he wont go and see you which home, he lives in Waterbury near Montpelier. His leave is for 20 days.

Love to the children and your dear old self Write as soon as you receive the money.

Your affectionate husbandJ.C. Rutherford.