The following letter was written by Thomas A. Shepherd of the "Wythe Grays." Although Shepherd does not have a service record with Company A, 4th Virginia Infantry, it is quite obvious from this letter that he served with the company, at least for a time. Original spelling and lack of punctuation has been kept, just as Shepherd wrote the letter.

The original letter is owned by Roy Graham of San Antonio, Tex. and he has graciously allowed us to post this transcript.

Dear Mother

I write you few Lines this morning as we are about to take our exit from hear to take A hand in the Defence of our Country perhaps theas may be the Last Lines that may ever fall before your eyes from my hands but Remember Dear Mother that my Disposition is Such as will never Suffer my native Soil to be invaded Do not be uneasy about me I had rather you Should rejoice than to weap if I Should meet with the misfortune to be killed you have one consolation that you had one Son that had Sacrificed his Life in the Defence of his native Country Virginia Sertinly has Seceded and the North has invaded our rites they are fighting now the Govner of Virginia has ordered out all the Volunteers and the Company I belong to has to go I am perfectly willing to go and feel Cheerful in so doing no matter what the result may be. We received orders from the govner yesterday to hold ourselves in Rediness we wold be call very soon - all Businest Maters has Stopped in this Country the Companys are Mustering all the time we expect to Leave hear to morrow or next Day Sertin ordered to Washington City as the intentions of the Southern troops is to take posesion of that place as Soon as possible - the expectation A Bloody Conflict to Succeed all of our men that belongs to our Company is very Cheerful and appear to be anxiously the awaiting orders to Leave for the Seat of War - the time appears to pass off Very Slowly with them just as soon as we are ordered off and reach headquarters I will write to you again Let you know how everything is going on our Company is all very uniformed and equiped just awaiting further orders I am going with the Same Company I went to harpers Ferry with they are all Brave Solgers and fear nothing that you know is my Disposition especially when our rites has bin imposed on the northern people has invaded the Soil of Virginia and I claim Virginia as being my native State one that I Love as the Dutys of nature Binds me to do as it is beneath the Bright Skyes of Virginia that I first beheld the Light of this world I think also that I am Doing Credit to my Family name I must now bring this to a close Do not feel the Least uneasy about me when I write you again - will give you all the particulars how the war is going on - give my Love to all the family and Mr Ony and all - I must Close as the Company has to Perrade this evening at 3 oclock - I am glad that I have the opertunity of going as I am not Satisfied no how Do not See Mutch pleasure - and perhaps if I am not killed may be beter Satisfied after I return my health is good now and I feel perfectly prepared to under go all the hardships that is connected with A Solgers Life I must now close

Make yourself perfectly Contented
I will write to you again Soon if nothing Should happen Serious to me

PS
Great excitement prevails hear