tennessee may the 8 1863 der companion i am on the land a mong
the livin and as well as common i hope this wil come to
you and find you and the babe wel i want to Se you vary
bad i resev your leter last nit whitch giv me grat Satsfaction
to her that you was all well you dont no how glad i was to
her from you i bgin to think I wodent git nary nother
leter I hant no good nuse to rit to you John is well as
common Rhoda i think the wor wil Son clos i her this
morning that the yankes has got [???]les but i dont no
for Serten that is in the papers Rhoda ef you can ceep our
Stock i wont you to doit you rot that tha wos a goin to tak
[??] that [????] do for [????] I dont think tha orto tak mine an
yourn Rhoda i wodont be soprise ef tha yankes [dident?] Sorenind
us and tak all prisoner i dont car ef tha do ef live to git
back hom i think i wil stay thar the rest of mi fu dase
and i hop hit tis gods wil for me togit back home to
you i wont you to do the best you can for i think i be
back be fore long Rhoda our men is runing a way ever [ni?] [1]
or two i wish how [??]ick tha wod all leave our men is
wip ef tha wod on hit Rhoda i dont no how to rit to [2]
you but i no ef i wos with you i wod no how to talk to you
wel i wont you to ceep our colt a live ef you can you
nevr rot this tim whether tha wos a workin med or not
i wod loft to no ef tha ar workin her or not ef tha ar
hit tis all rit i wont her work Rhoda i hav rot you thre
betwix ancers i rit you two evr weak and i wil as long
as i can we haf to giv fore dollars a quire for paper and two
dollars and a haf for in velops Rhoda i wod Send you
twenty dollars ef i nod hit wod go i sent you 5 dollars
Som tim ago and you nevr Sed whether you got hit or not
and you nevr Sed how meny leters you had got
from me Rhoda i wont to Se you you no i hop and
trust i wil git back be fore a vary mutch longer
[Page 2]
wel Rhoda and nance and Aps a fu words to you all at wonst
i rot you that [S??]ret and i wont to no ef you hant
got hit yit ef you hant got hit i wil tel you when
i git home i no a heap i cod tel you hit tant woth while
to rit i dont Sa mutch but i think the more i tel you
hit tis woth while to watch Som as wel as pra tho prain is
a good thing i no now is the time to wotch and then you
no who wil do wel Rhoda i hav git all mi litle bad words
i found hit dont do eny good Rhoda i think when
i git hom i wil no how to do for a liven be cos i no
what hards times is her der Sisters i no you an Rhoda
hards times but when you go to the tabul to eat you
hav Somethin fit to eat but her hit tis a litle pees of bred
and meat but hit wont let a man persh but
hit maks me think i can Stay tel i git to com home
i think the yankes wil tak a heap of the bois from
the way tha talk and i dont car how quick mi Self
gals i no ef i wos at home we cod all Se plaser i dont
Se a bit her nor i wont tel i git home i think i be
at hom after a while an then i can tel you all
a heap i dont for git evrthing in a minet i wont
you all to do the best you can tel i git home i wont
to Se you all the wost i evrd i think ef you got thar
ceep hit to your slv Rhoda i rot you and the gals
aleter yusterday tel Jim to rit as he promast tel
him ef he dont i wont you with him a driven tel
him that i think i wil com up the 4 of July to
go a driven So i must Close So far well tel i her
from you agan to Rhoda Poe and Nancy Poe and
Apsa an Poe direck yours leters to tallahoma