[James Brotherton served in Co. G, 52nd NC Inf.]

peatersburg
1864
Sep tember the 1
dear cosin i
seat my self to let you
now that i am wel and harty
and i hope when thes few
lins comes to hand tha ma
find you al wel cosin i hant
got nothing new to wright
at presant cosan we hav bin
seing hard times this sumer
we hav ben doing hard fiting
we had too hard fights last
month on the weldon railroad
the first time tha got
the best end of the bargain
but the last time we giv
them the worst whiping tha
ever got we charged them in
thare works and we took them
and we took as many prisoners
as we had men cosin i tel
[page 2]
you i have ben in som hard
places cense i saw you cosin
hit would doo me lots of
good to git home wonce more
to se my people i hav almost
forgot how tha looked cosin i
would like to se you vary much
and to here you talk cosan i
hav hard that father had to
go to armey hit looks like
tha dont intend to leave
ara man at aul cosin i tel
you this war cant last long
we dont git nothing to eat
at aul nore nothing to eat
with hit such a confedracy
i do sa tel mis marey and

and sarah howd for me
tel them i am as fat as bare
i close right soon giv me
the nuse so no more only i
remain your true friend
[upside-down in top margin]
James Brotherton to
Betsey Brotherton