Matthews9
the
17. 63
Near Rodgers ville Tennessee April
Dearley Belove Nancy & Sweet Little
Babe & to mother Brother Sister &
To all off my Friends i once mor
Take my pen in hand to rite to you
To lett you no whare i am & whare i
Am a goeing this Leaves us onley tolerable
Well at present i have bin traveling tell
I am all most tired too Death I have bin
The [age?] off vagina & then turn Back
Noe won node whare we was goeing to bee
We Stopp to nite I found out at we was
Goeing rite in to Canetuckey & amen to [1]
Stay thare 3 monts But i dout that
The yankes will Lett us Stay with them
That Long iff thay Suffer us to goe in
Thare a tall I hear at the yankes is a
Bout the comberlin mountain and are
Fite ing now we gitt noe nues her a
Toll Nancy I receved a Letter from you
14 inst & i was glad to her from you
Nothe ing on irth coold give me more
pleasure hir than to her from you & the Ba
[page 2]
Thiss My Dear may Bee My Last
Letter at i will rite but i hope not
I will Rite iff i have eney chance to
Mail them & we are a blides to goe Some where [2]
Whare we can git Some thing to eat & to feed on
For thay eant eney in tennes see i have a fine
Horse & i expect he will Starve to death
For we travel 2 days Some times without feeding
I entended to Sent him home but i heant had
Noe chance Jack Hail & Birl Willson was
Sent too greenvill hospittle yestoday nancy
I Sent a pare off Saddle baggs & Too Sacks to
Dav hails & he Sent Some we Sent them by a
Miss Sims at Lives at gail vill See miss
hail & iff thay come to hand git them this is
A verry backward Spring her the bods is jest [3]
Begining to Shoe we had ice one half eanch th
ick on the :10 of this inst & And the first off
The month, I want you to rite how wheet
Looks & iff thay is eney peaches & iff you
Have got corn a nuff to Doo you tell
Harvest I think at the confdresy is a blidg
Too Suffer iff not Starve Rite to Loudden
Tennessee to follow cornel Hart 4 gorgia
Cav in the cear off capt Stiff Co C So i close
with my Best Love all Soe fare well my
Dear Nancy for a while David Matthews
- amen = aiming
- a blides = Obliged
- buds