the 14 1863
Jackson Mississipipi this June
der companion i am blest won[s]t mor
with the mers of god of ritin you
a fu lines to let you no that
i aint vary well at this time
i hop i wil be in a fu das John is
well as common i hop this wil
find you all well der companion
i wont to se you an the babe
the wost i evr did in life an i
hope i wil be at home be fore
mutch longer the talk is that
the war wont wont last mutch
longer i do pra hit wil brak
up so as i can git hom with
you for i want to be at home
the wost i evr did in life i want
you to do the best you can an
cap in good hart dont git out
of hart fore i think i wil return
home after a while wel i dont
no hou to rit to you but ef
i cod se you i wod now how to
talk with you turn over
[Page 2]
wel Rhoda i reseivd leter from you
all yisterd an i wos gld to her that
you was all well i wil sa to you
that i hav got fiv leters from
you all that was dated may the
12 an 14 an 15 an 23 an 28 i hav
them tolilbul reglar i sa to you
times is hard her an a hep
of sicknes Rhoda ef i was at home
i wod be the best sats fid man
you evr saw i no that i cod git
som thing fit to eat an good
water to drink her we dont git
nary won i sa to you i think
this wor wil son clos i hop hit
wil eny hou Rhoda you must
rit me all the nuse you
no good or bad hour our [1]hour = how]
Stock is doin and ef them oats
i sod mad eny thing an ef
all our frut got child up thar
So you must do the best you
can an i will do the same so remains
your tru loving husbon untel
dath Wm S Poe to Rhoda Poe
[Page 3]
der Sisters i wont to se you
vary bad an i hop that hit
gods wil for me to git back
home to Se you all an stay
thar gals i Sa to you all you
must excuse me this time
i shant rit mutch for i fel
vary bad i hop a gant i rit
to you a gan i wil fel beter
gals ef this war wod stop i
think i wod se the most sats
faction in the world gals i no
you an Rhoda has got a hard
time but i hop to god hit
wont al was be the cas gals
i Sa to you i wod giv erv thing
i hav got exsept Rhoda an
the babe to be cler of this
wor for i Sa to you home is
the plase for me an i think
i wil git home son of this das
So you must do the best you
can So remains your lovin
brother untel dath WS Poe to
nancy an Aps Poe rit som
[Page 4]
dear father an mother a fu
lines to you i Sa to you i
wont to se you the wost in
the world an i hop i git home
be for long i hant mutch to
rit to you we hav got a hep of
sixnes her i Sa to you i wish i
was thar to help you tak car of
our wheat for i no you hav got
a hard time father i Sa to you
ef tha is eny man thar that
wil tak mi plas an stock an
cler me of this war send him
on for i had drother giv evr thing
hav got an be cler of this wor
than to stay her i no i cod liv
beter sats fid the war maint
last long but ef i cod git [???]
man in mi plas i wod be glad
i drother be at hom with you
all an Rhoda an the babe than
to be her with as mutch gold
as i cod tote So remains your
lovin son untel dath W S Poe
to James an Mary Poe