January 24th 1863
North Carolina Camp near
South East River Bridge 21 miles
from Willmington Mrs. Catharine Lefevers
Dear Wife I seat my self one time
more to drop you a few lines to lette you
now that I am well at this time & hope this
letter may find you & the childrean all in
good health I can say to you that I have had
a nother long & tiersom march we left
Goldesboro last monday morning & travailed
untell yesterday Twelve oclock it was a
Very hard & tiersom march it was clowdy & Rainey
all the time we had some of the Biggest swamps
to crows [1] that I Ever saw in all my life since
I have bin out their is some places that the
Swamps air as wide as from our house up
to olde Henrys & the water is some places belly
Deep to a horse and we had to walk own a
little narrow Bench not move then 4
inches wide and they was a Bout 4 feet
[page 2]
No 2
from the Water Dear wife I did not
think last Sunday when I rote to you that
I would leave Goldsboro the next morning
we node nothing a Bout it after dark
a sunday Eavning we got the news that we
would haftew march the next morning
against Sunrise Dear Wife I have saw
more own this march then Ever I have saw
since I have bin out I saw five
men striped and Each one Received 37
lashes own their Bair Back I was Detailed
to whip two of them my self I can tell
you that I hated to do the like But I could
not help my Self I was Detailed By the
colon they was whipe for Running a
way Some of them was gon ever since
we left Camp Mangum the Blud
was cut out of some of them I can tell
you that there is now chance for a man
to get out of the armey without being

[page 3]
No 3
punished for it I can tell you that I
would lik Just as good to see you & the
childrean as Enny Bodey in the world But
I cant think of leaven without a permit
Dear & Ever loving Wife I am almost out
of hart to Rite enny mor not that I think
Enny the less of you for it But it seames
that you have almost forgotten me I do
not now your reason for not Riten to
me now more If I have not don my dewty
to wards you for the lord sake lette me now
it & if I have done Rong In enny way I
want you to lette me now it & in what way
and I hope if I have done Rong in enny way
that you will pray to the lord to forgive me
But the lord nows my heart and I now that
I will never forget you If I ever see you now
more in this world I hope I will meet you in
heaven wheir we will never part now more
in this world Dear wife this is now five
[page 4]
No 4
weakes since I have Received a letter from
you and what is the reason of it I cant say
If you have Rote & I have not Received they
letters I will loock over it If you have Rote
& the letters have not come you have done your
part and If you dont rite to me I will rite
enny how to you Dear wife I dont want you to
think hard of me for Riten this letter to you for
you can [just?] tell by your self if I had not
Rote to you in that time what would you think
about it there is one thing that mite Keep me
from getten your letters & that is By us a gowen
a bout sow much Dear wife If I was not
sow uneasey a Bout you & the childrean
I could pass off the time better But since
the small pox has Broke out up their it
is allwais in my mind a bout you &
the childrean I do hope that I will get
a letter from you in a day or two as
I have Rote to Henry also to J.H. Hutson
I will finish own a nother side

[page 5]
No 5
Dear Wife I will now soon come to
a close I had Rote to you a bout a Box
of Provision I can say to you that I
would still like to get the Box But if
you Send it you nead not send me them
Sweat potatoes as we air in a countery wheir
their is a heap of potatoes Raised & we can get
them as low hear as you can up their they
air a thing that is heavey and will take up a
heap of Room in a box but you may send
me some onions in the Room of the potatoes
I will not say nothing more about what
you shall send me as I Rote that in my other
letters If Henry Comes he can In quire at
Goldesboro wheir the Regiment is If he
was to come now he would come own to
South Washington Depot or station and
then He can can hire a cart to hall the
Box to the Regt But if it does not
Suit him to come he nead not
Come I can make out Sow
[page 6]
[written upside down on top of page]
I hope the time is comen when I and you
shal meet with words and loocks and
Kises we will Each other greet

Dear Wife I will now come to a close
By asken you to be serten to answer this
letter as soon as you have the opportunity
of dowing sow you will Please lette me
now whether you have Received they
money I sent to you I sent you fifty
five dollars By M.C. Abernathey I sent
it to Newton to gathers at the Post office
and Instructed him to not lette enny
one have it only J F Hutson or an order from
you I will now come to aclose for
this time By asken you one time more
to rite to me Please give my love &
Respects to all my neighbors & friends
lette me now what Emanial Speagle
is driven at I will now close By asken
you to beleave me to be your ever trew and
faithful husband untell Death Shal
Separate us Isaac to Catharine Lefevers
When this you sea Remember me tho we
bea many a miles a part