September the 25 1861
Raleigh North Carolina
Dear father I Seet my Self this evening to
write A few lines to let you know that I am well
at presant hoping thoes few Lines will find you the
same I have Just come in from drilling this time
we drill from 8 to 11 oclock in the morning then we
go and get dinner I have got A family that is we cook
and eat together we have got to have dinner at one oclock
then we go out to drilling at two and drill tell five whitch
makes six ours A day As for cooking I can do it and we have
A plenty to cook so far we have bacon beef rice flour coffe and
sugar and molaces A plenty as for corn bread I have not seen
any sence I left the sound for it is not to be had at the
presant for thar is not any in the town but the captin
says we shall have some before long but if I fare as good
all the time as I have so far I shant grumble we can have
coffe twice or three times A day Just whitch we please
as I did not state before how many thare was in my
I will tell you thair is eight in one mes bryant basden is
the captim of the mes I and the men that is in our mes
is basden ben F basden [??] lincy Charls humpry Daniel
humpry Daniel thompson and my self besids brynt we eat
three times A day Just as much as I want I can make up
sweet bread and any other sort of bread just as good as any
of the rest to my practice once or twice A week the ladys bring
in something to the captin that will nurish us thin he
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gives so much to evry mes to day our mes had cabidge and
beets for diner whitch made us A plenty we have to pans
and one camp kitle to cook in and we have to plates five tin cups
five spoons one bacon to put the vitles in the tins are to [1]
drink coffe out of father I tell you this day that you need
not believe what you here for one halfe of it is not so some
because the vitles is not exactly fixt like it is at home say
thay dont get A nuf to eat and grumble I am well
and doing well I feel as well satisfied as I expected and better
I have not sufered for A moful if I can till the truth I have
eat to much but I feel as well as I did whin I left home
as for the rules I get along with thim well I have stood
gard once I was gard 24 hours but did not stand all
the time the reson of that is thare are five or six on
gard at the sam time each one stands two hours at
A time whitch makes me stand eight hours then I dont
stand nomore till the hole company gos round then
comes my tim agane I can get my clothes washed
for five cents A garment I caried the shirt that
I wore from home to Mr kings to be washed I
thought that I would higher my finer shirts
washed because thay are finer then the rest they will
wash one shirt starch it and it and if thay
tare of any of the buttons thay will sow them on
all for five cents but the rist of my closes I thought
I would wash my self I went down town the other
eavining I went in the state house and went all through
it it is three store high all made out of stone and
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I think it has got the most rooms in it of any house
that I ever saw this is the town that I ever
was in but I shant by nomore then I can help
I am going down in the town next saterday morning
to have my Liknes taken I can get it taken for one
dollar and uperd but I cant go unless permit from the
captin I will quit this subgect and write about something
elce our oferces are very good to me thay act like men
aut te [?] for my part I like all of the men in the
company we have singnng here every nite but I think
I shall pray for the company before long here is the place
for pirson to be tented but as for my part I try
to live better then I have hereto fore I read my book
evry chance thare is A very good chance here I hope we
shall see each others face the third in next month
I shall come there if I can I think I shall tell john
hill when we boys comes the girls will not talk to
him for thay think so much more of it solger then thay
do of him that he will never get him A wife writ
soon and till all the wrest to write tell
Henry Williams that he must as well quit going to
john thompson as to go for I know he will not skine
thare ill him that I have seen pretty girls in raleigh
but not as pretty as the Hawbranch Lady give my
Love to all the family papa till jane to write to me
and send me all the and send me word
what the girls has good about me tell that
it hurt my feeling when he would not tell me goodby
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tell William houdy for me till him that
I think of him evey day John W. Williams
A few lines to ann ann I feel well to day
and I hope you are ingoying the sam hilth
I want you to send me A few lines and
if you cant write yourself get jane to write
for you I had rather you would
Ann I want you to pray for me and if
we neve meet on earth may we meet in
heven goodby John. W. Williams

A few lines to you mother I should be
glad to see you I think I shall be home
the third sundy in next month I want you
to quit greeving after me for I am doing
will and I wish you the same John
I must come to A close write
soon direct your letters to Raleigh N C
my love to all inquring friends so I come to A
close by saing yours in christ John W. Williams
excuse bad writing and spelling to his papa