Spottsylvania County Va
Monday May the 19th 1862
Camp Ledbeter
Dear Father I once More imbrace the
Oporty oportunity to drop you A few Lines
to let you no that I am well and enjoying
good health one of Gods grates blesing
I Receivd A Leter from you this Morning
whitch was very interesting to Me I was
Truly glad to hear from you & to [????] that
you was all well the Leter I Received was
writen May the 4 & 7 and also was [????]
by Doc.. Mcworter Father from what I have
heard I am Some what trouble A bout you
I hear that Men of your age has to go
in to the Army; as you are Older & My
Father I Should not advise nor Should not
Give advise but as I have bin in the Army
now Most Twelve Month and from
experance I Shal advise A Litle if you will
pleas A Low Me to do So that as what I
think best to My experance
[page two]
I think it best (as you have to Come in
to the Army) for you to Make A Sackrafise
of your propity & Come forth with to our
Regment that is I mean just to drop evry
thing I think that I Can get A Transperttaion
for you My Reasen for thinking it best to Com
to the Regt is if you are taken in to Sevise
then our officers will be pointed over you
[????] officers from what I have Seen is the
Meanest of officers and A gain you will
be taken of in the South Carolina Coast
wh[??] it is one of the Sick Lest places in the
world and also teir you will have the worst
water to Drink that you ever Saw
if you have to go in the Serviace
when you get this Leter write to Me & if you
want to Come to our Regt write for A
Transpertation & Ill get one & Send to you
hear we had officers that we no Men who we was
Raised with & Men who we no to be
Clever Men Men what we no to be true
their Country Tern Over
[page three]
this is fifth Leter I have writen to you
Since I have bin in Virginia
Father I have seen H..A. Lowery he tells
Me that he saw you & that you & the Rest
of your family was well
Father what I have writen in the other
paige for you to come to our Regt I Leave
it with you So that you Can Study on it and
do jest as you pleas but I think it best for
you to Come to our Regment
you writen in your Leter that wheat Crops
was enitrely or Most Ruin with the
Rust I was Sory to hear of it & I hear that
it is A general thing in the Southern States
Ill tell you the [??]mey prospects at present
Loocks like that pore people will have to Sufer
if A great Many Dont perish but I Recond
thear is Some way provided for & A gain it Com
like that if we gain our indepenants that our God
intends for us to pay A good price for it A
price or A Debt that we will not for get
as Long as we Live
[page 4]
May the 21st 1862
Father I Again have taken
it in hand to drop you A few lines I am well
to Day & hop[s?] [?] [blesing]of the Almity
that thes Lines May Reach you in dew time
& find you and the Rest of the family al well
& enjoying good health I writen A few lines
in A Leter to Mr.. Dalton that it was A
pro[b?]ility that the City of Richmond would
be taken the enemy is now in nine
Miles of the City but I Sopose that
president Davis Say that the Streets Shal
floe in blode Rather than give it up I writen
all the news; Direct your Leter to Me
Wm.. T. Martin Car of Capt hawthor[ne?]
orrs Rifle Regt Richmond.. Va..
I will Close give My Respects to al frines
& Receive the Same to your self
I Remains your Soon till Death
Wm.. T. Martin
Oliver Martin & family
write Soon Write Soon