January 11 1863

Camp Ston Wal taladega Ala
Dear Jain I take this opertunity of
droping yo a fu lines to lete yo no
that I am able to bee up at this
time I hop that thes few lines
lines ma find yo and the children
[??????] same [ble?]sings of good I hant [1]
got nothing of importance to rit yo
I ant wel I hav got the head
ach I can Sa on[e] thing it wil
kil me to sta away from yo and
the children I think it is very hard
and unjust if the grand raskels
was al ded and just men had the
controle of things I wod bee at home
but I dont no when I can get home
I want yo to take car of al yor
pervisians take car of the children
and yor Self and never forgit me
I Se a hard time her I rit these lines
with tears in my eyes if eny of the
children gits Sick I want yo to rit
to me as Son as yo can J E Wesson
[page 2]
I Want yo to rit to me as Son as yo
can I want to hear from yo So bad that
I dont no what to do I have shed meny
tears since I left yo we git por beef
and corn bred brand and al [2]
to eat and not a nuf of that
tom bearden is hear kelam and
harp is her I think tom wil git
of[f] if he wil work the thing rit as
a Sho maker Dear Jain I cant
rit what I want to rit I am so
pesterd I hav got a pain in my
right brest that hurts me very bad
my right hip and back paines me
very bad I wil try to git a pas
and com hom as Son as I can and
I wilt el yo al about it thar is a
bout 700 men her Direct yor leters
to ca[m]p Stone wal tala[dega] ala So I
must close by subscribing my Self
yor loving husband until Deth
Dear wife and children good by
Til I rit a gain Jospeh E Wesson
[page 3]
Dear father and mother I
imbrace this opertunity of [?]in
yo a fu lines to let yo no that
I am not wel I Wish that I
Was a sound man as I hav to
liv a camp life for a man that
is desesed has a har time her
I Sufer deth her With pain
and trouble of mind I always
lovd to bee at home With my
Wife and children and Se to
my one litle afairs and now
to think that I am in 20 miles
of them and cant bee aloud to
com and Se them it almost
takes my life and when I think
how it c[a]m to bee So I wod [???]
no[?] to good if I had it in my
pour to Sink the confedradret
Stats and al the grand raskels
to [Whar?] tha ort to bee [????]
I must make the best of it
I can I hav tears by flods
[page 4]
When I think of how my
Wif childrin Wil live tears
runs in my eyes So that I cant
Se how to rit I Want yo al to
Go and See Jain and my litle
children and if I never git to
com hom yo and mother must
help Jain to advise and controle
the boys for yo no that boys is
hard to controle
giv my respect to al of the
rest of the boys and girls tel
Wiley and nut to Sta a way
from hear as long as tha can
I Want yo al to rit to me as
Son as this coms to hand
Direct yor leters to ca[m]p Stone
Wal tala Ala I must
come to aclose by Subscribing
my Self yor Son til Deth
I Dont no When I can com
home I cose my leter With
tears in my eyes Joseph E Wesson