Sullivans island Dec 23 1863

Dear Dear wife and children onse more I seat
my Self to rite you a few more line
witch leaves me tolrible well hope
thay may Come Safe to your hand
and find you all well and doeing
well I have now niews to rite at
this time [???]s [??] about [????]
[????] the [???] [when?] [??] first came
down hear I wood hav bin in
a hevy fite be fore now but I ddont
Se mutch more prospect of a fite now
than then Sum of them looks for
the yankeys to make a hevy attact [??]
But I dont now I receivd the to Bacco and
Bred you Sent by Mr Dill and the
little apples my little man sent me
I wish I cold get to Come home and
Se you all now for I want
to se all vary Bad but I recon it
will be a good while be fore I shal
have the chance to se you you must
do the best you can I no I will Com
when ever I can you sed you wanted
to no how I make out these cold nites
We make out tolrible bad but we
have a plank Shanty and a chimley
[page 2]
to it and make out beter than
[you?] think tha[?] it is pirty bad
I will close by Saying rite soon
and often your affecnt Husban
till death A. H. Lister to
M. J. Lister
Mary J Lister A H Lister AHLis[?]
Dear husben i take my pen in hand
to let you no that we are all tolerbel
wel at this time hoping tha may
com safe to your hand and find
you well