Sullivans island feb 8 1864

My dear wife and children with a sorriful
heart I this eavning take my pen in hand to
right you a few Lines in ancer to your kind
Letter and surtificet I re ceivd them and had
A furlow rote and Started up to hed quarters
Last [??]day morning and have not herd
From it yet it aut to of Come back sater
Day this is the forth day I think it dout ful
chance wither it comes atall or not Lewtenent
Fleming is sick and not in command now
ther is a Lutenent in Command by the nam
of qualls he dont no nothing and it has
Bin badly manidg me and Lewtenent fleming
went up to the adgidents offis this morning
And Lookt for it but it has not come back
the adgident Sed it wood Come back proved or
dis aproved Shore but it has bin gone to long
I think it Seams like ther is no chans of my
Geting to Com home eny more robert kimbre
got a sirtificet from docter more and got off
With out eny trubble So if I dont get home
Against Sundy you need not look for me eny
Longer and if I dont Send me a little somthing
to eat by Jef if you think you have got it
to Spar he sed he wood find a Judg and you
fill it with me lasses and some ry and some
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patches for to patch my brown pants
And some more to bacco for I dont no wh
when I will have another chans of get eny
From home and it is so hy hear my wedges
wood not keep me in to bacco you need not
Send me eny close I have Jest drawd me 2
Shirts and one par of pants so thes[?] Lines
Leaves me well and I do truly hope thay may
find you all well So I hope to her from you
Soon So far you well A H Lister to Mary Lister
My dear sister a few Lines to you hopen
thay may find you and budy well and
in Joying your self Well I want to se
All mty bad and I was in hopes I wood of
got to Come home and of seen you all and
of eat Some of your chicking py made
out of back bones but I think it
A bad chance ive no news of im portens
to rite to you only the yankes have
Bin buning A bote a bout a weak that
run a ground near moltry thay say it
was loded with blankets and liker and
Shoose our men has bin runing into
it geting things out and severl of them
got kild the yankes has shot all to peacs
So I must quit its geting so dark I cant
se to rite A H Lister to Mary Mayfeild