Jan the 6th 1865
dear Companion
I Sete my Self to write you a few lines
to let you no that I am in tolerble helth
and do hope thes few lines may find you
all well and doing well but I can tel you
that I am vary tiard of Staying here and
Starving the way we hav to here I exspect
you herd of the big diner that we got we got
two mouthfuls of mete and 5 or 6 muthfuls
of bread that was the big diner I can tel
you tha hant got any thing to ete any
more and the yankeys has sheld Peters burg
all to peces and is Sheling every day [??]
[???] is mooveing all the artilary back
tha say we will fal back to danvill
but I dont no if we will or not I can tel
you the men is all out of hart offersers
and all tha Say we cant hole them any
longer with out we get help but I
do hope tha will hav to quit be fore
we hav to fight any more for it is
of no use to hav the men kild up
and destroyed for nothing
[page 2]
I can tel you I got the Socks and Soap
and the letter that you Sent by Mr
Womick and was glad to get the letter
and Socks but I could of dun with out
the Socks but I can war them you
nede not send me any Clothing I hav
more than I want here I would like to send
a coat and som Shooes home if I could
if you can Send me any thing Send me
Somthing to ete for that is what I am
Suffering for clothing I can [flank?] if
I [???] [???] a [???] I would like if you
could send me somthing if you could get it
to me by the middle of next month for
I nede somthing vary bad tel Alferd
Lenard that I was much ablege to him
for fixing docks [1] plow and I want him
to keep docks plows mended if he pelesees
and I will satisfy him when I get home
and tel Alferd I want him to writ
to me and tel me all the nus and how
times is thar now
[page 3]
and tel dock that I want him
brake up all of his corn groun if
the wether is nice and fix for a big
corn crope and sow all the oats he
can for he hant got much whete sod
and I want him to take good cear of his
horse and all of his stock and how meny
sheepe you hav got yet and tel dock he
must lern his dog to tree possoms
and Squirles So that me and him can go
hunting when I get home you Sed
in your last letter that I got that you
rote every week I hant got but one
letter from you in three weeks exept
the one that Mr Womic brote me and I
write one every week and Some times
two but I dont think I you get all
my letters nor I dont get all of yourn
for tha dont cear if we here from one a
nother or not nor tha dont pay us
off nor I dont be lev thea ever will
[page 4]
you Sed that you sene two of my brothers
but you did not Say wich two I want
to no how tha ar getting a long and
what tha ar doing and if tha ame
to com to the army a gain if tha do
I think tha ar fools if I was at
home I no I would Stay thar as long
as I could I will tel you I want
you to writ as often as you can So
I will close for this time by hopeing
to here from you soon but would
remain your tru and affection
housband until deth from
Jesse Hill
to Emoline Hill

tel dock that he must writ and
let me no if he got his knif or
not and how he like it he can
Skin his possoms that he cetches
with his big leged dog