Mother & Father, I have just got back from G. Gap

New Creek Va  Dec 19 /62

Mother & Father
I have just go back from G. Gap and I found a box and two letters from you  I am very thankful to you for the things you sent and so soon as we get our pay I will endeavor to repay your kindness as far as money can go toward repaying you.   As for the chest ________ I cannot get them as I would send them to you.   The ________ in the letter is here and everything is all right and I am well pleased with everything except Levi and I want you to tell him I am much obliged to him for the cigars  I take great comfort in smoking them.   The shirts I think are very nice.  I should liked to have had a little dark  _______ trimming around the pockets but they are well enough as they are.  I mean to try and do my duty as all soldiers while I stay.  You seem to borrow a great deal of trouble about me in regard to my health but I am as well as I can expect to be here.    It is full as good if not better than it has been for the last two years so do not fear or borrow so much trouble.  We got telegraph news twice yesterday that Richmond was taken but I will not ____ it for the truth.  There has been hard fighting at Fredericksburg   I did think that this war was about to a close but I may be deceived but I still have some hope of being at home my next birthday.   Write soon and give me all the particulars 
This from  D. W. Sunderland