I transcribed this recently from a copy of the original. The lines are words that I could not make out due to dark spots in the copy, but will look at the original when I get home from work, and fill in the blanks.
To the best of my knowledge, it has never been published.

Lets remember all those who fell on both sides, this day, 142 years ago.

Virgil

Hd Qts Featherston´s Brigade
Near Verona Jany 11th, 1865
Mrs. Dunn

Dear Madam

I received a note from Mr. Harrell a few days ago inquiring into the circumstances of your husbands death.

On the evening of the 30th Nov 1864, our brigade was formed in line of battle and moved through a very dense wood driving the enemy before us. On emerging from the woods we found our selves in front of the enemy´s breastworks at Franklin. We were ordered to charge and at the word the Brigade moved forward your husband in the front rank. The charge was a gallant one, many of our men reached the works and fought for a while hand to hand with the enemy – but we were compelled to give way – and fell back some two or three hundred yards and there remained until next morning. Mat was killed in about 50 yards of the breastworks. He was killed instantly. During the night the enemy retreated and at daylight next morning I went _______ ____ __ ___ battle field to look for my dead and wounded friends. Mat was one of the first I found. He was lying on his back he appeared to be peacefully sleeping a smile was on his ___________ and every thing indicated that he _____ _____ away without a struggle. He was wounded four times – two of which was sufficient to provide instant death. One ball struck him directly in the front just below the breast bone passing through another struck him in the right sidepassing through another in the right cheeck and another in the left hand. Early as I was there others had been there before me and had taken every thing of value from him. I found his testament lying on his breast and thinking of his widow far away I put in my pocket for you. I will be home some time this winter and will bring it to you. My duty required my presence at other parts and I left him. I saw afterwards that he received a decent burial at the hands of his friends and comrades. Monroe Causey has preserved a lock of his hair for you. His mess mates tell me that he had no baggage except what he had with him – (his knapsack and his blanket) and these were taken by the inhumain robbers of the dead. It would certainly be a consolation to you to have received some last message from your loving one, but the unexpected mess of the battle and the circumstances of his death precluded the possibility of such a thing. You have two strong sources of consolation Mrs. Dunn. That your husband died as he had lived, a true Christian, and his death was such as becomes the true soldier on the battle field with his face to the foe and followed by love and regrets of all his comrades. Your loss is great and deeply so. I sympathise with you but you “ mourn not as one without hope.”

I am very respectfully

Your friend

C.P. Neilson
To
Mrs. M.A. Dunn

Liberty

Miss.