Washington Co May the 27 1863
Sir
May it not offend your majesty
that the most miserable of Women applies themselves
to your kindness at ther last hope & her last refuge
that your mercy is most earnestly & humbly implored
by the hand of distressed women is it done by
your laws or by a few envious people that our husbands
are dragged from there dependent famlys to starve
here we are situated between Plymouth & Washington
exposed to the enemy to treat us as they choos what
are we to do for provision When our children are
crying around us for bread if you have feeling what
are we to do are you going to send men here
to provide for our wants to keep starvation out of
our door or drive the enemy from around us if
you are a father think of your starving wife & children
at home can you expect the enemy to feed us come
drive them farm our soil then take our husbands
for then we can give them up if not before as
we are [??????] & C.A.R. Gaylord who calles
himself capton of a ranger company & J. P. Davis
calles himself luint[??] of the same company came in
the 21st profesing to have ordrs from you & have
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taken our husbands away & left us in a starving
condition we would say much more but this is
sufficient will you reflect on this think of
our bereaved hearts & send our husbands back
to us we as a band of Conscripts wifes with
southern heart & southern feelings implore
feeling deeply wronged in the condition that
we are placed we assign ourselfs your humble
servants
Sophia E Bowen
Joe Annie Tuten
Martha F Bowen
Penny Tuten
Mary E Bowen
Mariam Bayner
Mary Osmond
Nancy Allen
Louvenia Allen
Jane Allen
Nancy Bowen
Matilda A Wallice
Sarah E Wallice
Elizabeth Bowen