1863
Camp Ranetoule Febuary the 4
deir wife I take my pen in hand
to let you no I am well at
this time hoping when this com
to hand it may find you an the
children all well I have not got nary
leter from you not in three weeks
I wold like to heir from you an the
children this makes the forth leter
I have writen to you senc I have
got one from you I shal look for
one from you to night I reckon you
have heird of the fight don heir
tha have bin fiting at savanah
an heir on the stono river an at
charleston tha taken one gun boat
on the stono river tha takin
severiel prisners tha sunk one of the
blockead vesel an all that was on
it tha sed the rest of the blockead
got a way our men clame the
best of it at all the plasis
[page 2]
I can not tel you mutch a bout
the fite we heir more a bout it
thn is so thir has bin sum talk
of ous havein to go to canetuckey
but I do not no for surten whether
it is so or not I want you to
writ to me an let me no if you
got the money an the stamps an pens
I sent to you glen is at
home now I exspects he will send
the bridels doun to Major James
Topson I want you to git sum one
to go an git them I found one
of them it is a good bridel
I want you to writ to me an let
me no sumthing a bout it thir
is sturin news com heir we have
Just reseve orders to be in redeness at
a minit warning tha say tha ar
looking for a fight at charleston
or sum whar a long the cost but
this may sone all blow over I will wite more
[page 3]
to nigt Febuary the 5
I have Just riten a leter to Davied
Murdock I did not git a leter from
you las night I loud to finish
my leter las night but as I did
not git one I will not finish it
untill night the news we got yesturday
I think it is all a false a bowt the fight
coming at charleston altho tha may
fight heir before long; this has bin
a cold windy and raney day captin Miot
is a gointo advertis Ganes Rampy as a
dissurter an ofer twenty dolers reward
for him Febuary the 6 I reseve you
letr las night I was glad to heir from you an
to heir that you an the children was well
I wold be the gladis in the wirld to be at
home with yow an the children you sed you
wanted me to com home the first chanc I had
I will be surton to come hom the first chanc
I have you can tel John Lee Mother that
he is well an harty he has groad a hep
[page 4]
we ar camp clost to Rantule stshion on the
Savanah Rale road ten miles from charleston
tel Essa to be a good girle I am glad to heir
that our litel children is do well cis them
for me Mary try to rase them right
as ny right as you can give ant Saley an
Jane an your farther Sara Andew my
respects tel them to writ to me tel Mouthers
pepel to writ to me; it is cold wet wether
heir now I do hop this war will end an
let our all returne home I will send
you that leter of Thomas to you I wold be
glad that Daniel cood git a furlow to
com hom I no you all wold be glad to see
him I will have to com to a close
for this time so nothing more at presant
but I remainds your loving husban
till deth Fenton Hall
To Mary Jane Hall this leves me
well an I hop it may find an the
children the same put your trust
in the lord