J E Wesson to his wif RJ Wesson         1863
Camp timons 3 miles est of vicksburg
At the Same plase whar we furst landed on
                         1 the
the missipi river april 24
Dear wife and children it is with plasier
that I rit yo afu lines to let yo no that I am in
the land of the living tho my helth is very bad
I am able to walk from my tent to the pit by
the help of a Stick I am So weak that I can hardly
Set up to rit I dont no what ales me unles it is the
efects of the mesels I hav not eat eny thing in 3 days
I hant got eny thing I can eat this is abad plase
for a Sick man and it Sems like I hav my Sher of
it my boules is in the worst fix yo ever Saw in
yor lif and has bin so ever Since I had the mesels
I hop to god that these lines wil com Saf to hand
and find yo and the children al wel and doing
wel as yo can Jain I hant drawd no money yet
and dont no when I wil our rig ment al drawd
money but the concrips we dont git now if I cod
bee wel I cod make Som money her I hav got 43
dolers now and Som litle oing to me Jain if I
had the chance I wod Send yo 40 dolers but I dont
no how to git it to yo for I dont no whether yo
got my leters or not I hant never got but two
leters from yo since I left thar them was rot
the 8 and 17 of febuary Jain I want to her from
yo So bad that I hardley no what to do if I
new whether yo rot to me or not I wod bea
Satisfied al the boys gits leters but me
John coley that livs on our old place gits
leters evry wek Jain I wil Somthing a
bout my washing I hav to pay 25 cents a garment
over her to hav my washing don every weak
or els bea eat up with the body lice I cod keep
cleer of them if it was not for lasy men that
dont car for them no mor tha hogs JE Wesson
[page 2]
Wel Jain I cant rit but if I cod See yo I
cod tel yo al about it I want yo to rite
to me as Son as this coms to hand Direct yor
leters to Joseph E Wesson in the car of Capt
C F Condry 42 Rigt Ala vols co k
vix burg missipi Jain I dont want yo to Send
me new close til I rit to yo for them thar is 50
dolars compitation money and if we dont take it
in clothin we dont git eny thing I am So
weak that I cant rite martha Elen I hav got
yo the prtest Silver ring yo ever Saw I
wod Send to yo in this leter if I knew
that my leters al com Saf to hand I hat
to Send it and yo not git it for it cost
two dolers and 75 cents to John and biley
that I hav got them a knife a peese that
I cod Sel them for 10 dolers a pees her but
I wod like to Send them to them if I
cod to A D and goorg that I hav got them
the pritest hanker cheif a peas for them
Jain I wil git yo a ring in a fu days and
I hop I wil liv to See yo al a gain if
I git able to walk I wil bee thar to cut
the wheat and dont let no body
See this leter but the conteon tha has [1]
lots of the boys bin home to See thar folks
and com back and nothing bin done
to them and I think I hav got as good
a rite to Se yo as others hav to See them
So I most close but remains yor
loving husban until deth So good
by til I See yo and that wont bee
long if I git able to walk Sa nothing a
bout it for I wil com Soon
Jospeph E Wesson to his wife and
children R J Wesson Jospeh E Wesson