Dist
South Carolina Gree[n]ville
January th 9th in 1862
Dear frend I present opertunitey of riting
you a fue lines to in form you that
I am wel at present hoping thes lines
will find you in Joying same blesing Will I have
nothing of intres to rite to you I woold be
glad to see you & hear you tell some of your
christmas trick as you have taken it wher
you did never beforure I recon you had a big time
we had noe Christmas up hear at taul noe
Sport off aney kind I am glad to hear that
the yankeys are a fraid to moove on you & wh
en tha doe come give them pertickerler he[ll] & pay it down
Shoe them that mountain boys is not to be fool
with Will we have a companey up her that cauls
them Selves the Dark corner mountainyears
the companey Nombers 85 you will see all of
the mush creek & tiger boys when they get ther
you will find John & Georg howerd in that
companey Will I Sent to N C for that mon
ey but I never got it I will Send agan in
and when [????] [will?][?????????????] [last line cut off in photograph]
[page 2]
Will Nathan Waters Rote a leter to me
the other day & waunted to noe wher you &
John & Davied Bailey & J Robertson was &
waunts you to rit to him he said for
John to rit with out fail & you & Joush & D Bailey
to rite to him NB tel John Neaves that I [haven’t]
forgot him yet & woold lik to see him
tel him to Rite to me for I like him as
wel as the girles doe I noe he will Rite to them
Eny how tel him to think of me one time &
oblige a frend give my best Respects to all
the boys & except the same tel Davied Bailey
if he can think of it to rit a litle to me as
I waunt to hear from him I heard to day
that Jarret Jones died last night tha are gone
after him this Eavning Will as I rote to you a
bout the boyes coming down tha have orders
to leave the order come las night Jef Barton
is Capt Joe B 1st leutenent D Mckiney 2 [??]
Andey [p?]eace 1st Sergen &c you may look out
thay will be a maney a one down ther sone
Will I think you had beter come up and
see [a????] & [?]our intend one [?????] [bottom of line cut off in photograph]
[page 3]
Will Lindia ses to give you her best respects
And to rit to her & let her noe how you giting on
Will if aney of you rites to Nath Direct your
leters to Gall veston tex Montgomery confedats
R H Oliver cap co Nichol Regt Col
E B Nicholes commanding tel John to rit
to Nat Shore he waunts to heare from
you all Soe bad Soe I Must come to a
close shortley I waunt you to Rite
to mee if you can think of it Rite soone
& let me heare from you all tell D. B. Nicoll
I would like to hear from him B [J?] one time
I will Clos By saying I Remain your
Afectnet frend tel Death Rite soone
John W, Waters Too
Wm P Z F Neaves