Jackson Miss 1863
June the 13
My Dear Companion it tis by
the Grace of god that I am spa
spaird to drop you a few lines
to let you know that i am
well at this time with the
exception of my arm it is sore
yet the docter has excuse me
from duty till it gets better
the sore is as large as a silver
doller it dont pane mee none
i fer that it twill take the
aresipelas in it i think it tis [1]
beter the beef dont agree
with mee wee dont get nothing
but beef an corn bred to eat
it tis sarey diet to mee wee
get plenty of that wee get
some sugar not a nuff to do
any good a hardley i can live
as fare as that is comuon i think
a bout you often times an think
a bout the hard times that is
back ther i am a frade that
some folks will suffer for
the want of bread an meet
an other things tha need
[Page 2]
Dear companion i havent hurd a
word from you sence i left Tenn
i am ancious to her from you an
my dear litle babe i hav bin
looking for a leter from you[?]
for severl days an i will keep
looking for one everday tha hav
bin severl leters that hav bin
sent to Manchester hav come to
the Co sence wee come her i dont
think hard of you a tall for
i now you write as often as you
can faney i hav lost that brade
of hare you sent to mee as i com
her i was sarey to when you
i found it out my dear excuse
mee for maken mistakes for tha
are severl her in the tent
an talen an laughen frances
the freemasons are taken the
day her tha all fare the
best nerley all the offisers is
in it an severl of the privets
tha will take thare word be
fore aney body elces wm smith
has joinde thim sence we come
her it twill bee late when I
joine thim
[Page 3]
Francis i reckon you want to
no what litle newse i hav i
havent aney of importance to
Communicate to you at presant
wee are still her yet an i dont
now how long wee will stay
her wee hav very good water
her tha hav bin [firen canons?] [2]
[reglar?] for two months i reckon the
bowth sides are shelling each
other francis our redgiment hav
bin out on picket one time
sence we bin her wee [stoell?] on
the batll ground wher the
fight was when they yanks took
Jackson I saw The places wher
tha was beared some holds had
18 or 20 men in them the trees an
bushes are tore up mity bad
tha are a fine dwelling stood
there tha are one Canan ball
threw it an sevarl other
ball holds the places looks [3]
bad the town is burned
an the rale rode two the yard
is destroye ever thing [wher?]
tha go i think [??????????]
[page 4]
My dear companeon this is the
forth leter that i hav rote sence
i come her one to pap one to sister
S E Gilpen and two to you my
dear it tis Eleven Months today
sence i seen you i fer it twill
bee a long time before i hav
the blessing privilage of
seeing you an budy faney if wee
dont never meat in this
world i hope wee will meat
in a beter one francis all the
conection is well her Cosen M
Dodson was left sick at Maredian
with the feaver Give pap an
Mother an sister Elizabeth an
pet an Haty my love an best
respects tell thim that i wood
bee glad to see thim tell thim
akk i want thim to pray for
mee ever chance tha hav i feel
lik [tha?] all wood pray an pray
in [?]th i hope the good lord wil
bee with you all an bless you
J R Scelton has come back to the
Co he is well Good by My love
for this time Wm R Jones To
Mrs M F Jones