The following letter was written by Walters (“Walt”) Hufman who enlisted in Co. F, 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry on 8 September 1862 and died at Alexandria, Virginia, on 19 June 1864 of a gunshot wound to his right ankle [another source says abdomen] received in action two days earlier. Walter was a blacksmith in Harveyville, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania before he enlisted. He was married to Albina (Downing) Hufman (1835-1881) in 1858.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Warrington Junction
November 17th 1863

Dear sir—William Miller,

This afternoon sitting in my tent I will try and write you a few lines [to] let you know that I am well and I hope you are enjoying reasonably good health. For a long time I have not heard from you and once more let me ask you for the reason you won’t write. Rosner has come to the regiment and I have asked if you was there yet and he told me that you was and he says that you have wrote and I thought that I would try and send one more letter and see if you would send me an answer.

We are lying at this junction a doing guard duty while the rest of the army is driving the Johnnies on and on. I don’t know whether they will stop this side of Richmond. We have had a very hard summer’s time of it for we have been on the go ever since we left Camp Dana. First up to Chancellorsville, and then up to Gettysburg, and back all over Virginia and far back on our third trip and I hope this time we may [get] through and find out the heart of Rebellion but that is to be left for the future.

Now, friend William, I have it to say with sorrow that I have not had but two letters from George Rood since you left the company and I feel hard on account of it for if I have done any[thing] or said anything to affront you or him, and it may be that you and they think that I have not taken as good care of you as I ought. For my part, I think I done as much as I could and if I have not done as I ought in every point, just please tell me.

I heard that you was at home and gave [Gov.] A. G. Curtain a hoist. That is right. But I want you to, if you please, to write and tell me all the particulars and oblige me. Your unworthy friend, — Walt Hufman

[to] William Miller. Goodbye.