Fredericksburg Va.,
Friday Dec. 19, 1862

Dear Father and Mother: I have been rather negligent about writing to you since the battle.
I know you will pardon me for I did not have time until yesterday and then I thought it was to cold. It is some warmer now so I will commence.

First I suppose you would like to hear something about the battle. I don't know hardly what to say about it but I think that it was a rather foolish operation.

Our men laid the bridge under a very heavy fire, then drove the enemy from the city. You may be sure that was no easy job as they fired from the buildings while our men were laying the
bridge. Then we fired into the buildings with our artillery. After the enemy was driven out and our men had taken possession of the city they shelled it again so between both armies the town was pretty well riddled.

The people left the houses locked with everything in them. When our boys went in they went in to plunder and destroy. When we left we did not leave anything of much value.

I don't see as the South is very bad off for anything. I saw some of their prisoners and took particular notice of their shoes and clothing. I think they are nearly as good as
ours. They don't seem to have as many overcoats. The prisoners say they don't have coffee or sugar but have plenty of everything else.

Our loss was very heavy in this battle, much more than the enemy I never knew what suffering there was until I helped to take off the wounded. I did not cross the river until after the
battle the we took the wounded to the hospital on this side.

There were men shot in every shape and place, quite a number died on the way back to the hospital.

I think McClellan plans are the best after all and I still think he is the man. He don't believe in rushing men in and have them killed for nothing.

All of the boys are alright as they were not in the battle.

I will have to stop for this time. write as soon as you can.

Your Son
A. J. Juckett.