Sunday morning
Near Petersburg VA
February 26th 1865
My Dear sons, Winston and
Matthew Upchurch, your pa wants
to give you a bad history of a little
boy. some little boys about
Petersburg carry news papers through
the Camp to sell yesterday one boy
larger than an other, the large boy
took the little boys papers and
some money and told the little
boy he should not sell papers if
he did the big boy would take all his
money, sons was not that mean
in the big boy, I so not want either
of you ever to be guilty of such a
mean act always mind and obey
grone people and be kind to little
boys and girles never impose on
them because you are the largest
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our saviour loved little boys and
girles and we must love them
too and do them no harm but
do them good when we can and
God will love such little boys and
when you die, God will receive your
souls and keep you from harm
forever. Winston I want you and
Matthew when either of you gow
to do any thing wrong think of
what your pa wroate to you
ask ma to read this to you your
pa wants you to be good boys and
if your pa dies without seeing
you any more be good boys and
repent of your sins and do no
sin after words your pa hopes to meet
you in heaven where we will
always be together and have no
trouble sons never do like that big
boy . ever your pa I. S. Upchurch