[Gibson served in Co. C, 10th Battalion, NC Heavy Art (aka 2nd Batt’n).]

State of NC wilmington sept the 14 Date 1863
Most oner bul frend govner zb vance i sete
my Self to in form you of the sitiuation
of my fam ley at home i interd the Sur ves
having awife and six chil dren all girls
ican state to you my wife is sick ley
and is not able to se to hur bisness hardley
eney of hur time and the oldest one of
the chil dren hit takes hur time to wate
on hur mother and the rest of the Children
ante able to sup porte them selvs and i Can
say to you i am apore man and hadent much
to leve them and sence tha have mde use of
What i left them tha cant make thure sup
porte and is bound to suf fer ur starve if
tha Cante git help and i Cante help them
And me heere for hit takes what i Can
do to Cepe up my self with what igit heere
And i hant got nether fother nur mother
Nor brother to help them so ise no Chance
for them but to suf fer ur starve exsept
i Cud be pur mited to return to them so icud
Pur vide for them Which i fel as i am under
youre Con trole and and i put Con fadente
annuf in you to think that hit is not
youre wil that eney as Sickley awoman as
mine is Sho uld Cum to Starve and thare
hus bon in the surves under you i think
that if you wil resen the case and study
whether you Cud Stay in the surves and
heere of such nuse aboute youre famley
urnot i think you wil reson the case and
you wold at once releve me and send me
to my suffren famley
[page 2]
I am wil ling to do all for the war of my
Cuntrey and my self i Can and if my wife
was sound she Cwd make owte but she ante
nur hante bin in along time so i wmbley
Ask youre ade and as sistent And ask you
to releve me from the surves so as i may return
to my suf fren famley so i wil Close my
re quest by saing iremane youre unworthy sur
vent i wante you to rite to me just as quick
as you pos sa ble Can Private James C. gibson to govance
When your rite to me direCt your leter to wilmington
NC the 10 artilrey Both in Cure of Capt M C Mabboly
Co C
Able Helms a witness [different handwriting]
for I am well aqated with the
above Namd James C Gibson and
his conditun at home
A. F. Secrest
Wm B