June the 21 : 1863

State of NC Beaufort County Tranters
creeak district Z B Vance Govner sear
Throw the Peswashin of my disstres nabors
wich is the femal clas at this time
for all the men is gon in this ware but sum
old men and but few of them I am bound to ask
A favor of you I can Render seaverl fact
of trouth and have it all testefide by just
as meny as you wood want the first thing is
my one the condishion of my wife we
bin marred for ten years and from A
short space after we was marred she
has be com secret diseas an has come
nearly healples and I am A pore man
I have no famly at all but 2 black
children wich is 6 and 8 years old I
have ever bin A friend to the south
but oing to the state of my wife knoing
that if I went in this ware she
must lie and sufer I cod not leave
hear for thear is noboday that I cud
git if she was to lie and pearsh and
A nother fact is the cear of famlis
that is left in my hands I am A
carmishon oficer wich my nobors
an friend that that the conscrip wood not
take me
[page 2]
So my Brothers 2 of them has gon left
thear familis in my cear an sum
8: or 10 of my nabors has left the
cear of thear familes in my
hands I have to seak out to by sum
purvishons wate an tend or them
besids I doe A little plowing for
the most of them nearly all the solgers
wives depends on me an thear is
no boudy elce for them to look up to
in my naborhood for our deastrict
has give A bout 145 men an we are
lef distute of eney men at all to healp
the lades I can do Rite good work with
tools make coffins I have bin A show
maker for 10 years and I exspect to
as soon as lether gits tand to set down
to show maken nearly all the time I
dont love to doit but if I dont the
childern will have to go bare footed
I fear I under stand that thear is
A act past to take the oficers
an my naber woman has beg me
them ho looks up to me to try if I
can to stay at home for I am the
last chance thay have for eney
healp an if I have to go off I dont no
what is to be cum of my naborhood
[page 3]
dear sear looking at the condishion
of my wife an then having the cear
of wiming an childarn so meney put
in my hands an with them A gradeal of
money worth all so in my hands an if
I have to go in this ware I dont no
what I shal do with the pore creators
ho I tend to thro the Beswashion of
my nabors I am bound to ask as A
umble friend for A discharge I do
earnsly think dear sear that I am
of more searves to the south at home
doing whot I have to do than I wood
be in the ware pleas Reflect on theas
things an have sum feallings for the
feameals an thear little childarn
I cant say to you that I am not fit
for searvis my health is good tho
my A bilites is not strong it is not my
nead at home not for my famly
A lone but I wont to fulfill my
promas to my nabors ho is in the
seaves pleas favor me if you
can and let me stay at home whare
I am under grate searves and stand
in grat nead I wood of com to see
you but I have so much to do an
tend to I hant got the chance
[page 4]
dear sear pleas grant me
A discharge if you pleas pleas
Right to me what you will
or can do an pleas your
umble friend direct your
letter to Williamston NC martin
County
Joseph Robason
To Z B vance Govnear