State of South carolina Spartinburg
Destrict this Dec the 12th 1862
Mr Vance Gov of N. C.
Respectfely yours I have been persuaded
to drop you afew lines to inform you the
considheon I am inn I am a soldier
and have servide my cuntry promply for
fifteen months and have went through
Some hard fiting and and is yet alive but
I was wonded in my left hip by a shell
so it have disabled me so I am not able for
service and I have by the help of the lord
reacht my home but am sufering verry
mutch at this time from the wond in my
hip from the enemys shell and from a serios
attact of consumption and my age and
health will not admit of me staying
out in the defence of my cuntry whitch
I am verry sorry for for I am willing to
lay down my life for our Rights and liberty
but as my condisheon will not permit me
to defend it by the use of arms I am willing
to do all I can to ade in the cause
I cant march more then 5 miles aday the
best I can do and that by sufern greate pain
my age is forty years old and ther is some
ofesers hear that is not willing for me to stay
at home and aid in the defence of my cuntry
with out areceipt from you to show
and they told me it was not fair off
to you and for me to rite to you and
to git some of my neigbers that node my
consisheon to sine What I rote and they
believed it wood be rite with you for I
was not fit for the service but they could
not let me stay verry long without I
got apermit from you and to rite and
I could git ancer from you soon
and that wood be all the way I could stay
[page 2]
I can aide some by making sheose for
the army whitch I am told they stand
in nead of ther is 2 tanyards near
me and ther is agreat call for some one
to make sheoes and I am a sheomaker
by trade and have made some I can
make 2 good pair of sheos per day
I made 2 good pair yesterday and I can
be of more use to my cuntry that way
under the present surcomstance then
any other and I am willing to do as long
as I can and Please rite to me soon
I have never received pay for my service
yet ther is one hundred and 25 dollars
due me whitch I am willing to pay you
half if you will permit me to stay at home
and direct how to git the money for I dont
under stand what corse to persue So I must
come to aclose but I am yourse most obeadantly
please rite soon and direct it to Southcarlina
Spartinburg Destrict Thompsons creek PO
I belong to the 34th Redgt NC volunteers
your obedieant Thomas Griffin

We the under sind are well acquaited
with the condisheon of our friend Mr Thomas
Griffin and do Sertifly that this leter is
atrue reporte and nothing elce

Lancaster Stephen Spla[?]
James Philips James Spla[?]
[????] A L[?] Lancaster
Ab[??] [??]ss W P Berges
James Gilbert [??] Crofford
M Mc kiney
W mc kiney
Thomas Mckinee

[the handwriting in the letter and several of the signatures appears to be the same]