July the ..23..1863
Mississippi laudibul Springs this
der wife i am belest wonst more with
the merses of god to rit you a fu
lines to let you no that i am
tolibul well at this time but
i am weak i hop this wil find
you all well i nevr did wont
to se you as bad in mi life
as i do now an i hop i wil be
for two weaks an i wont to se the
crop an all the S[t]ock i Sa to you
i hant herd from John sens the
fit comenst tha ar stil fitin
an retretin tha Sa that tha ar
a goin to al bama an tha Sa
our men is de sertin an folin
out evr nit an let the yan
kes tak them i think the
war wil Son close i want to git
home be for the yankes com
[Page 2]
thru thar an Rhoda i an com ef
i can git the chance i exp that tha
has bin mor than fifty men
told me that ef tha was that
clos to home tha wod go hom
ef tha liv So you must do the
best you can an cap in good [1]
hart for i think i wil git hom
be for mutch longer i think
god wil be with us an help
us to return home wel Rhoda
an gals i Sa to you that i nevr
nod whot nasty vitle was be
fore i no the slop you giv to the
dogs is clener an beter than
we got her to eat wel As i want [2]
you an Mary to be good childern
an tak good car of your selve
when i git home i can tel
you a heap what i hav Sed
[Page 3]
Der father an mother i rit you a
fu lines i want toSse you the wo[rst]
in the world an i hop an trust
hit wil be the good lords wil for
me to git home be for meny
das puty ni all the men Sa
ef tha was at hom tha wod not
fit eny mor an tha ar runin
a way evr day an nit father
i Sa to you that ef you [down?]
a [??]lexton ef you ples go to
Wm olief an git twenty dollars
i sent an 20 John sent an 20
W. P. Ernest sent ef hit tis
thar i Sa to you the men in
mobel wil giv 15 dollars an coneidert
money for won of silvr So i think
i wont you to do the best you
can for i am a goain to com
hom ef i can i wod lik to
[Page 4]
no what you think a bot
hit but you netant to rit
to me les i rit to you when
rit i had drother be at hom
than to hav as mutch money
as i cod tot i Sa to you all i
hant eat eny milk nor buter
in a long time wel Rhoda i wont
you to spend your money
for anything you want or eny
thing you think you think
you can cap cow or yerling ore [ny?]
[tering?] or wheat an tel [bille?] an
Jim to be shore an stay at
home for tha dont know as
mutch i do i dont no when i
wil rit a gan but i wont you
to cap in good hart So good by
to you all tel i her an so WS Poe
to Rhoda Poe