November the 4th 1862

Mr Govene Sir I take the present opportunety
of droping you a few lines to inform you that we
have a cooper in the twenty sixth regiment that
went as a conscript that we cant well do with
out he was all the man that followed this
Trade anywhere near in this neighborhood people depended
on him for all kinds of vessels in our country he
followed this for his Trade mostly for the last
Six or seven years in particular people come from fifteen
to twenty miles for his work he is a man that insures
his work to be good and faithful to his word he
is not very stout in his body at times with the
rumatick pains he has had his back nearly brok
by a fall and that injures him a great eal at times
from laboring only at his trade he is a splended
shoemaker too so when he cant work at one trade he
cam at the other when needed we would be Thankful
for the Said Albert Marlow To be exempted if it
can be done it will be a great favor to this the ninth
district of Said county of wilkes he has favored the
women and children all he could in their distress
at their time of need since this war commenced
he sent to the soldiers in the army all he could
it has bin proposed to me that I should write
To the said govener of north carolina that he
Should used all exertions to exempt said Albert
Marlow with a free discarge if posible to come back
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to his usal trade he is one of our most useful me[n]
he was raised a poor farmers boy but he took the
Trades for his living rather than to try to farm
it in this rough mountainous country The said
Albert Marlow can do any kind of work that
he is call on for he is a very good carpenter when
call on for furniture he makes his own
furniture without bying it the above Albert
Marlow has wrote to me that he would give
all he was worth to be at home at his usal
Trade Mr Govener I will forfeit and pay fifty dollars
in the Treasurery for the Said Albert Marlow to
be discharge to come home I dont do this because
he is my loveing companion it is the request of my
friends and fellow citizens in this desolate County
of wilkes you need not think that I have rote you
a lye becaus he is my husband for that is one thing
that I wouldent do if I knew it because god has give
his only begoten son that the whole world might live I believe
on him as a savior and made my peace with him some
eight years ago the said Albert Marlow is in the
Twenty sixth regiment under captain Adams Company
D North Carolina Troops he is thirty five this december
the twenty second day his age was recorded in his
infantile state I wish you to do all you can to exempt him
all the tradesmen is exempted from the army not so
much needed as those trades of his at times for every thing
is so high I expect to suffer for the want of his trades being stop
This to Z.B. Vance govener from Miss Cass A. Marlow yours
respectfuly