The collection consists of a letter signed "McCurdy" written on December 19, 1862 to "Dear Friend Sara." The letter includes detailed descriptions of the fighting around Fredericksburg in December 1862. Much of the letter is taken up by MCurdy's experiences during the battle and the aftermath in the city. At one point, McCurdy parallels his experiences to the French Revolution, referencing Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. Toward the end of the letter, he mentions a letter written for a paper and a satirical poem in a different issue of the same paper. He tells her of a poem of his own he is writing, "Deacon Glenare," and provides her with two stanzas.