April the 17 1863 Dear cosin I seat myself to Inform
you I am well and hearty hoping those few lines may
find you all in good helth I havent much to
rite only hard times we have ben seven miles blow
Washington [1] on tar river at a fort they bumed
at thare evry day we could see the boats any Kind
of them down the river we left thare last
night we are three miles from Washington we are
looking for a fight here I dont no whare well go
to from here. well Besty I have never saw hard
times before like we have saw since we left
Goldsboro we marched last night the roads was nee
deep in mud all the way. I am geting tired of
this war I have ben here teelve months I tel you
I never want to serve another twelve months
here. well Betsy I would like to see you and
hear you talk awhile give unkle Thomas
and aunt Nancy my best respects
[page 2]
well Betsy I recken they are lonesome times
thare we are very dirty we havent striped in
five weeks we left our knapsacks and all
of our clothes in Kinston. Jacob Edwards said
he saw you and you was at our house I would
like to a ben thare too. we drawed for
furlowghs again but I could not make
the trip William Smith Rubin Goodson
and David Lackey gets to go this time
I think I will get to go some of
theas times if they still keep giving
furlowghs . we have some very rainy
weather for the last few days we only draw
three cracker and a quarter of a pound of meat
to the man a day excuse my bad rote leter rite soon
to Betsy Brotherton Henry Brotherton