1863
                                       the 1
Camp ner vicks burg febuary
Dear wife and children I Seat
my Self this rainey morning to
let yo no that I am in the land
of the living but I am not wel
I hav got the Diree So bad that I
can hardley Set up I had the Sick
head ach last nit very bad my
rupter is cosing me to Sufer very
bad I hop these lines ma com Safe
to hand and find yo and the
children al wel Jain I hav got no
nuse to rite to yo tho tha ar
expecting a fit every day at this
plase tha ar a Shoting at the enemy
evry day with ther canan tha
hav taken Som prisners Sinc I com
her Jain I wil inform yo that I
am with Strangers thar is but on
man her that I ever saw before
tha ar al Strangers to me but
I hav got Som frends her I am in
A mes with a cosan to John walas
[page 2]
his name is walas and he is just
as much like john walas as yo ever
Saw Jain yor unkle Sam megahay
Son tom is in our bregad I hav
Seen him twist Since I hav bin
her and his brother frank is in
our rig ment but I hant Sene him
yet Jain I hope I wil liv to git
home again I think it is hard to
leav yo and the children and
giv up my one life for to potect
negos thar is grat dissatsfation in
this part of the armey and if
pees ant mad by the 1 day of
march tha wil al go home aney
how tha Sa tha wont los another
crop and I wil bee glad to Se the
day role round when tha Start
if tha fite her it wil bee a bad
fit Shore we hant got but fifty
thousan men her and tha ar
Strung up and doun the missipi
About 20 miles Joseph E Wesson
[page 3]
tha Sa that thar is about
two hundred thousan of the enemey
Jain I want yo to try to git yor land
worked in corn and bee Shore to
hav yor wheat cut if it dos
wel take car of yor hogs and
cowes and if I draw any money I
wil try to Send it to yo but
I dont no how I wil Send it
for thar is no on her that livs
in taladega and it wont do to
Send it by male and if I git
out of close I wil hav to by
them tel pap and maw and
al of the boys to rite to me giv
my lov to al of them and to
al inquiring frends I wod rit
to al of them if I had the
chance but I cant ceep my mind
to gether long anuf to rite to yo
with any Sense but I wil
never quit trying to rite to
yo in Som way Joseph E Wesson
[page 4]
I want yo to rite to me as
ofen as yo can and yo can
direct yor leters to Joseph E Wesson
co k 42 Rigment of Ala volinters
vicks Burg missipi
So I wil close my leter by
Subscribing my Self and lov
and prar to to yo and the
children until Deth
Jospeph E Wesson
to his Dear wife and loving
children John L Wesson
my Dear Son I want yo to
bee a Smart boy while I am
gon from yo an take car of yor
hors marthe E Wesson wiliam
p Wesson bee Smart and lern
yor books and help yor maw
So good by to yo al for this
time I am So weke and tierd
that I cant hardley Set up
Jain Remember me in yor
prars evry day Joseph E Wesson