Sullivans island Jan monday the 4 1864

Dear wife and children I this morning take
my pen in hand to ancer your kind letter
of the 28 of last month witch Come to hand
Last Satterday witch I was glad to receiv for I was
Ancious to hear from you but it renders me
vary unhappy to hear you was Sick and your foot
rather wos than when you rote be fore and sorry
To hear of my Sweet little Babys geting burnt
But I hope and trust to god that this letter may
Come Safe to your hand and find you all well
thay leave me well all to a bad Cold I have a vary
Bad Cold at this time the first Cold I have had
Sens I have bin hear but its no more than cold
Be ex spected for men to be ex sposed to the
Cold as we ar we haf to go out on the sea shore and
Stand picket 2 nites in the weak and the wind
never blode no colder off the mountains than
it dos off of the ocion heap of nites we haf to
Dubble quick all nite all most to keep from fresing
A week ago to nite ther was a man on picket he was
Dubble quicking to keep warm and fell down
his gun went off and shot off his hand
we have mity cold wether hear this winter men
that has bin on this island three years ses
this is the Cold winter has bin in the three
its colder on this island than it is eny wher
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Down hear we have had a vary dull chrismas
you wanted to no what I had for my chrsmas
Diner it wont take me long to tell you I had
Corn bred and beaf thats what we have for diner
And breakfast ever day as to supper we have
none one of my Sherts is waring out the other
one Sound yet my Socks is good yet my slips
is nearly wore out ther isent eny chans for me
to get you a cap John the way Lons got his ther
was a lot Sent to the Compny and ther was one that
was to little for eny one and Jef tuck it for
Lonsy if I have the chance I will get you one I
want you to rite offtner I want you to rite
ever week I want to no how you make out a
Bout geting wood and a bout the horses how thay
Come one and how you get along halling with
them and wither you have got the Stables
fixt or not and rite hoos the preacher this
year and tell L.. D. McNiken to rite to me an
Give me all the news Jef is on the Sick list yet
he has bin exspecting a furlo ever sens ive bin
hear I dont no when he will get it you must
make out and do the best you can I hope the time
will soon Come when peace my be made that I
may re to you a g[ain?] but it looks like thay ar
Jest fixing to cary it on so I must close by saing
Far well to you all A. H. Lister to M. J. Lister
and children