Camp in the field near Sulphur Springs VaAug 7th 1863My dear Wife:-

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We have been paid off today up to the 1st of July and I hasten to send to you a check of (200$) two hundred dollars, reserving only twenty other dollars for myself You can make such use of the money as seem the good to you. You had better take it to the bank and get the money on it. Do not make (or pay) any discount get dollar for dollar. I wish it was more but such as I have you will get.

I have no news to write you the weather is very hot here but we are favored with a shower most every afternoon for which we are very thankful. My health continues good. I received a letter from you last evening dated July 8th and notwithstanding its age I took pleasure in reading it. We are laying quiet here now waiting for the conscripts. They will have a pleasent time of it I rekon when they get

with the old soldiers. I have seen no account of any drafted from Newport.

Our Regt is quite sickley just now with the diarrhea. I had 90 patients this morning - would that not be a good days work at home? It takes me about 3 hours in the morning and two hours at night to attend to them. But I have a great many calls through the day. We have no patients that are dangerous. I wish you could see me writing this letter. I am sitting under a cherry tree that is 2 feet through the trunk and the top spreads out like a monster apple tree, in an open field with the far fanned Blue ridge looming up in the dis-tance, and they very much resemble the green mountains as seen from the old house stead. But there is a sadness in the appear-ance of every thing in this country. Every thing has run to a wild waste which gives the county a dissolate and forsaken look and every day adds more to this cases of civil war. But the inhabitants have choosen to

make their beds thus let them suffer the con-sequences. You asked me to tell you who our Commanders are. Maj Genl Frank com-mands the 3d A. Corps, the badge of which is the diamond ◊. A corps is divided into 3 div- 1st 2d & 3d the 1st is known by the diamond being red the 2d by the White and the 3d by the blue thus- red, White, and blue. All the officers & soldiers wear the badge of their representive division on their hats or caps. Each corps has its own badge. The 1st Army corps is known by ○ this, the 2d ♧ (the clover leaf) 3d ◊ 4th has none, 5th ✠, 6th + 11th ☽ 12th ✩. These are in the army of the Potomac. Each corps has their respective badge on its corps flag. I am ignorant of the [         ] meaning of their insegnas. I think you will have a slight idea of the different corps by this brief explanation.

Do not fail to let me know when you receive the check. Love to the dear children and your dear self

Ever thineJ.C. Rutherford