[The 1860 Census lists Garron as a 35-year-old farmer. He served in Mallett’s Company, NC Camp Guards (Camp Holmes)]

North Carolina Henderson County
April the 27, 1863
Mr Z. B. Vance Der sir I take the opportunity
of Dropin you a few lines to in form you
of the Condition of our County we are
all cauld of at this time it leves a
meny Pore famley in a bade condition
I dont see any other chance oneley
for them to sufer if the men colde
Oneley Stay at home tell they colde
Made thair cropes it mite be that they
colde make breade enogh for another
year Provesions is very scearse her at this
tim we have some men hir that orte
to bee in the sirvis for they wont wirke
On the farms the like to lurke a bout
the towns and the olde enty [1] Stors house
you never saw so meny Macanicks as
there is hir and some of theym cant
make a wagon that will stand a lone by its
self if such men was in the soilde it
wolde bee of more Proffit to the volenteers
wifes if things dont change hir our
famileys must sufer how can a man injoy
himself whene he knows his family in sufring
It is a harde trial for us to leve homes
on thes footings
[page 2]
I dont think any body orte to stan backe
at this time of ned and if evry woman
and childe that can worke must go a
heade we must strian evy nerve and
do Al we we can we must have Breade for that
is the foundation of live if we hade all the
cripel solgers at home they colde make
lots of Breade I dont see any use of taking
men that cant do good servis it is beter
to ceep theym at home and Make them do
something that will be of some yous to ther coutry thir is
sevrial stout able bodyd men in Henderson
ville that ant duing any thing but
Speculating of[f] of the Pore who cant helpe
their selvs I hope to see large crops [????]
this seson it dont looke like wnter
will brake this year it snowed hir
on the 24th of this Instint So I Must
Close my reemarks I Beg of you to do
all you can for mee and I will do
all I can for the Benifit of the Needy
I was Raised in Henderson on cane
creeke and if you answere my leter
Wright to Eastry Vill Po Wilber Garron
this is badely rote and worse spelt
I dont know whether you know mee or
not but I know you as well as I do eny body wh[???]
[page 3]
I want you to Wuright to me and I want
you to wrte to me and let me know
what is the conetion of our County I
wolde like to see some of the boys that
went of in your compay when you
left Asville you hade sevrial of my
friends in your company but of them
I [???] expect to see any more
I dont want to think harde of me
for wuriting to you and I dont want you
to think that I ant willing to obay the
the Rules of our County I am willig to
to do eny thing that if put a [???] me
that ican do I ant able to do much
but what can do it a plesur to me
to any thing I can So remins your friend
Wilburn Garren