December 7th 1863

South Carolina Anderson District
Dear brothers I take this oppertunity of writing to you
to let you know Iam tolarble well hoping these lines
may find you boath well when theay come to hand I
hant nothing new to write to you onely war neuse
and I recon you have moare nuse thn I can get
but from all accounts Braggs armey is badley whiped
and has fell back to Atlanta .ga. the Report
is that gen Long street is defeatd in Tennessee
if them Reports be True I Count us in a bad
condition but not wors thin I was Expecting for I
have thought that we was Ruined for along time an
now it is a plain case but we coudent Expect nothing
better from such treatment as we have met with
all the time the big men has no pitty on the
Poore soldiers and the Treatment gits wors but I think
it will soon stop for this war is coming to a close
as fast as it can I was sorey to heare of you a
having to go on sullvans Island but I hope that you
will be perticted as well there as aney other place [1]
the same perticktion is on the Island as was on the
main land I was sorey to dis a point you a bout
not a goin to see you but maby all thing turn
out for the best I wood a liked to a went and a brout
your salt thrue but I hope it will come thrue I
want you to send your Trunk home by the first
that comes I sent you a box by corpl King and
I sent you 8 ¾ lbs of lother I want you to make
your own out of it Lothr is a fetching from 5 to 8
Dollars per lbs you put on price a nuff to hold your
own on the Lother
[page 2]
I was sorry to heare the capt Bromlett was not
promotd for I think it was his place to a bin
Major But tell capt Bromlett to still hold
on to the Captains place for I wood rather hear of
him a bin your captain thin to hear any thing Els
I want you to write to me how much Salt Ev
Elrad is a sending with you and whot it is in I
want you to write what the salt costs that
you sent up in the Box for Elrob got that and
I got the lother I sent to you by corpl King and
we want to know the price of the salt so we
can settle I was glad you had baut you another
watch for I had rather have any thing thin
money it will by somthing but it is at a
powurful price besure and send me all the Lead
and Powder you can I woad be glad you could
come home in a few days for Some at Killing hogs
and I wood bee glad you could bee hear to help us
eat spear Ribs and back bone Gorge I think you
could get better Rations thin you did at fort ced[ar?]
all is quiet at Head quarters army of the
Watermilion if I can git the Lother you shal hav
your boots but Lother is heard to git the neighbor
is in tolarble good health I will have to come
to a close I still Remain your brother
till Death .J. B. O. Barkly
G R Barkley } Write Soon
Martin V Barkly}