Jackson Miss June 21st 1863
Dear Wife I am tolerable well & hope this will
find you all the same I recvd a letter from you
of the 7th also a scrip through J.C. Grahem of the
11th I was verry glad to hear from home I have
but little newse to write there is a general stur
in camp this evening every fellow is trying to pre
par something to eat on the road we make
an advance move on the enemy to morrow
morning at six oclock so I thought I would
drop you a few lines not knowing when I will
have an opportunity again if ever. I will have
to be brief as it is late and a bad chance to write
you wrote to know if we had very good water
& what we had to eat we got a little more to eat
tthen we did sometime ago but verry few things
to cook it in & no plates spoons knives nor forks
to use as for water we have to haul it from
the river Two miles it is bad at that as
for Tents we have none we have not got
a rag of clothes. only what we have on our
clothes & Knapsacks have ben sent back in
the rear some time
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we make our bed on the ground & do the best
we can. I have Bot me a Blanket, there is
no doubt but we will fare worse where we are
going besides we will be exposed to the enemy
this is a hard country to live in now as it is the
case any where where the yankees have ben
I will give you the price of some articles
Chickens sell from 1.25 to 1.50 Eggs 1.25 to 150 per
Dozen Butter 1.50 pr lb Butter milk from 25
to 50 cents a quart & sweet milk 50. cts a quart
I have seen lots of plums sell from 25 to 50
cents a quart &c you must do the best you can
at home try to get our oats gethered put them in
the corn house take care of your hogs try & get
a sow or two & pigs from your father tell
Polly & Sally that I am doing all I can to
stop the war, it will take all my wages to
live & live hard at that. If you need any thing
to live on get it & if your money gives out make
money out of something. &c write often direct as
before until I write to change give my love to the
children and acept a part your self, yours asever
J Carter