Camp Near Jackson Miss
June 5 th 1863
Dear fother and mother Brothers
& Sisters I write you a few lines
which leaves me tolerble Well my thumb
is nearly well I had a sick spell 2 days
ago but I am geting over it george left
here yesterday morning he heard that I
was not well he come Down with some
butter witch Which Done me a heap of
goode I Recd yours of 24 th may & you
Dont no ho[w] glad I was to hear from
you but I was still Moore sorry to think
that you was on the train I did not git
to see you on the account of the Holcum
Legion being fools I was sorry to think
that that Box I sent & Salt had not Come
threw thare must be some thing Rotten
some where I sent the Receipts of the
Salt By Mary oldhom Which you hav
Recd I want you to Keep them & by
the Salt dont come to git my $5300 from
the Rail Road co, that is to Wilmington
[????chester?] I was glad to [???]
stood your trip tolerble well [?????]
[page 2]
write soon & I will try to do the
Dirict as before to Jackson same
I am your humble sone till Death
E. V Elrod and all the Boys Except [????]
Bryant he will be in to night [??] I was very
sorry to hear that M. J. Walker was Dead
they said he died at Columbia, & I thay sent
him home we are under marching orders
to march out in the Direction of Canton [or?]
Big Black as I have but little time
to write I think there is an awful Bloody
fight in a short time the yanks have ben
[????]ding on Vicksburg for the last 20 Days
we can hear the cannons plain I Saw Wm
[Duncan?] yesterday he is in 41st SC Regt Capt
Bromletts Brother preached for us last
night he believes his will be the last [?????]
Eliab & Lucind I Rec your kind letter you sent
[??] charleston 2 Days ago I Will write you a longer
in a few Days Give my Respects to all the the the girls
tell them that the girls of georgia ala & Miss and
laying off their [?????] & I think peace Will come for [pride?]
[??]th befor Dis[?????] & father I was glad to hear that
you & george was geting along with your crop the
Neighbor Boys are all well Except [J?] King he is
Is complaining [????????????] [I?] may god con
inue his Many Mercies M V Barkley
[??] will for this may be my last