December the 18 1863
My Dear John
I againe embrace another opertunety of
writing you in reply to your last communication of the
16th inst. this will imorn you that we are all well
at this time I sincare hope this my reach enjoy
ing the same blessings. My Dear I have not anny
thing new to relate to you worth your attention
My Dear, your letter I must say was a great pleasure
to me to read, it cheers me to read a letter from you
any at any time. for it is all that I can say is anny satis
faction atall to me now I am low spirited, you may
imagine how I feel. I have bin hope up with the [1]
happ anticipation of you being home by this time but
I expect it will be a sad disapointment in spending
Christmas with at home as I thought. My Dear John
to tell the truth if it does turn out so you cant come
home between this and christmas I would by a heep
rather could come the last of January, as the tim
will requre your good attentions I would sooner loose a
Christmas frolick a hundred times that to miss seeing
you the last of January so I will more carefully look
over the disapoingment of it Should so turn out
I thank you for your well wishes and happy new year
more aspecially that [??????] so longe anticipated
I hope you will be present to have a [???] ready for him
[page 2]
Fear John you Father has drank all his brandy
up that he had some time ago but he has sven ba
rrels more that will be ready for stilling next
weeak. he intends for christmas. the mixture for ma
king brandy he has persimmons. potatoes, and rye
flour, all mixed up togeather, he taken a goodeal of
paine with it I supose he will make rite smart,
I am agoing to try an do as you say put away a portion
for you tell you come home, sisy ses She will save
you a tombler full of dram with a lump of sugar
in the bottom of it till you come home she is more than
anxious to see you. she has bin looking at your picture that
that has your instrument in your hand. she can laughf
big enoughf to look it you she ses you look like you has
got the each joel told her you had the each so she
is always talking about you having the each.
I am afraid she will take it from Joel as she is all ar
ound him. I try to keep her away as mutch so as posab
le I just tell you I would have it for no mention
I stay as mutch as posabe out of reach of taking it from
Joel. I think it a bad plan bringing sutch deseases
in a family but what can anny one doe in sutch cases
My Deare I hope you may soon get well agane of this
terible desese, If I had the chance I could send you
some sulpher in hogs lard to grease with they
[page 2]
tell me that is the best medison for it but if you can
get of[f] home eatch or no each you must come on
I will try to cure the develish thing: the longer it
stays in you the harder it is to cure they say I dont no ann
y thing about it my self. Mr John Rughts family Jeneeses
family all got it some of them is got it very bad
so that the could not sit down on a chaire it is sivere
from all accounts they say you can take it more than once
Dear John Brother ben has not got home yet his wife
has not heard from hom in three weeaks so I dont no wh
en he will get home. Sam he is in the guard house
for two months an a hundred dollars of his wages ta
ken from him: Dear John I an your mother fixed you
up a box an sent it by fillip sharp I hope you got it
by this time. I also sent you a pare of socks by
Sharp I am knitting you another pare till you
come home I will have them done I am sorry you
will not draw any clothig this winter an wool is so
hard to get or I could make you a suit I dont no
how the soldiers are to do as you cant draw any thing
I dont think it surving you any Justice atall
[page 4]
Dear John I must tell you John Williamson has
sold our ever thing Plantation, all his provision
evrything to Bagot he got 4 thousand collars for
his place, Bagot let him have three negroes to pay
for it he is now moing dwon on willer swamp neare
to his Father in laws Mr J Donnelley: so he will be missed
very mutch in our neighbour hood he bought him a
place for fifteen hundred dollars bette land than
his was he ses: My Dear I am afraid I have worried your
patience in this longe tedious communication but I dont
expect to have the chance of talking with you soone an
I must write to make up loss time: what a dull time I will
have to what I have bin expecting alonge but I hop
it will all turn out for the better in the longe run
I sold the shoes to Joseph Hoover an he sold them
gaine an got 25 dollars for them, he made rite
smart of[f] me in the trade. you must try to get the shoes
that is owing to you told the owed you two pare you can
get a good price for thim. My you have a merry Christmass
an happy new year is my compliment My love to you sisy sends
love an howd to pa [???] A[??] sind there respects to you R. E. Jefcoat