I believe this should be No 12. I am not certain 
Lyle Dec 29
 Camp Vanburen Carter Co Mo Dec 29th 1862
 My Dearest Mary:  I received your precious letter of 14th & 17th inst I was delighted to learn that you are still enjoying such excellent health.  And you appear to be in tolerably good spirits.  I am in the best of health.  How thankful I am that I can always say to you that I am well, & that I always receive such good news from home.  We are to move across Current River to morrow & I will necessarily have to write you a shorter letter this time than I wish.  I got up yesterday morning away before day & cooked my breakfast & rations for 24 hours 3 meals. & started out on Picket about 2 1/2 ms. away up in the Pine mountains. it looked quite stormy in the morning but by noon it cleared away beautifully.  There were about 70 of us. we all had our rations, in our Haversacks, some had Camp Kettles, others coffee pots to make coffee in & some had only tin cups.  Coffee, crackers & meat, & sugar.  We would have had a nice time of it, if it had not been so cold.  I stood on one post from 4 PM until 12 M. without fire. & then again from 4 A.M. until after daylight.  My Dear little wife how I did suffer with cold. we were not allowed fire as it would reveal 
