1863
Jackson Mississippi this June the 9
der companion i am blest won[s]t
won[s]t more with the merses of god
to rit you afu lines to let you
no that i aint it well i got over het [1]
a gain on picket but i hope i
wil be well i[n] a day or two Jon is
well i haint mutch to rit i reciv
a leter from you las nit
witch giv me grat sats faction
to her from you but i wos sory
to her that granma an the swet
litle bab wos sick tho i hop
tha wil git well your leter wos dat
tha 21 you sed hit was the 9 leter
you had rot me i hav got 8
from you an i dont know how
meny i hav rot to you tho i
rot more than that Rhoda i wont
to se you an the babe the wost
i evr did in life an i hop i wil git
to se you before mutch longer
Rhoda i pray that the good lord wil hav
merse on me an help [to?] re
turn home to you an i think
i wil git home you ma think
that i jest rit this becos i can
but hit com from mi hart
[Page 2]
Rhoda the pepul think tha
is a gone to be a big fit at vixburg
an then pas wil be mad i hop [2]
pas wil be mad Rhoda i no ef we was
at home we cod se the most pleser
in the world o i hop we wil se that
day when we wil be at home som
times i git to study a bot hit an
i cant hardly stand hit i hop the
good lord wil help me a long to
re turn hom to you wel Rhoda
i tel you som thing a bot
this country tha aint no water her fit
to drink an hardle eny thing to
eat o i wish i wos at hom to eat a
mes of bacon an bens i think
i cod eat som wel Rhoda i wont to
no ef you went to se Jeffers a
bout d[roi?]n eny more money ef [3]
you hant i wod ef i wos you you
had as well hav the money as
eny body elce Rhoda i wont you
to rit to me an rit all the nuse
good or bad i wont to no hit all
an rit wheth you ar as wel sats
fid thar at your da[d?]s now i [wont?]
tow rit me all bout hit an i
think you wil for i dont think
[Page 3]
you no that i wont to no
i no you ar mi best frend in
this world so i must close Rhoda
i rot tilde an Elizbeth an father
an mother a leter a pas an i
cant git any word from them
you tel Tilde an Elizbeth
ef tha ar bov ritin to me tha
[???] [beter?] let me no hit for i wil
cap on ritin [???] [??] fo[??] cant
git eny leter from them John
has got won that is all soo you
must do the best you can an i
wil do the sam i re mains your
lovin husband tel dath
W S Poe to Rhoda Poe der father
an mother i wod be glad,??] to se
you wonst more in this world
an i pra to you that that i ma
git Cum home want [???] in this
i wont you all to pra for me an
pra that i ma git back home
i sa to you the most of the men
her is the wekets i evr herd but
father an mother i no you didnt
rase me to swear when i wos at
home an i am glad you rase me
in that way i Sa to you that
i think the good lord has for
[Page 4]
giv me of all mi rong an i wil
tri to serv him i want you all
to do the best you can so i must
close so remains your lovin son
untel dath W S Poe to James R Poe
an Mary Poe der sisters a word with
you i wont to se you var bad gals
i ant well at this time i got ovr
het a marchen on pick i wos pou
ful sick a while but i am som
beter i hop this wil find you all
well this is the hots country i [ever?]
sead i think times hard her
nevr nod what hard times was be
fore i think hit tis two hard for
you to haf to hav your truck [d????]
an tax so hi i wont you to rit
whether mi thing is tax or not ef
tax dos hafto be pad on mi stock
i wil run a way ef i cant git of
with thout for ef i haft to pay
tax i Shant stay in the con
federt Servs i jest Son Stay
thar in the wods as her eny
how i want you to tell Jim
to stay at home ef he can so
i must close so i remains
your lovin brother un
tel dath W S Poe to Nancy Aps