April the 29 1863
Camp near kinston N C
Dear Companion I Seat my Self
to write you afew lines to let
you know that I am well at
this time hoping when those
few lines Come to your kind
hand thay will find you well
an doing well I recive your
kind letter the 27 of the month
witch gave me grate Satisfaction
to hear from home one time
more an to hear that you was
well an doing well I wood
be glad if I only Could bee
at home to stay with you
wee have move[d] to day wee are in
a mile of kinston but I doant
know how long wee will Stay
her sum say wee are going
back to whar wee Came from
in the morning but I doant
know wheather it is so or not
[page 2]
O my Der I do wish that this
war would Stop an let all the
Soldier go home to thar famly
it is hard times hear an I
ex pect that it is hard
times up thar Corn an flour
is so high I doant no what
pepel will do for bread
it was reported that thare
was ten thousand yankee doun
below kinston about nine
miles but I heard that thay
have all run back in thar
rat holes thay all ways do
when the 44 Comes I am
going to send you sum thing
home by Sidney Syks [1] I doant
know what I will send yet
but I will tel you in my
next letter an let yo know
[page 3]
I want you to get harges
Jones to make me a botel
of ink an Send it to me
by Sidney Sykes put it in
a good thick botel So it
woant brake I belive that
all the boys is well as Common
I have no news of any import
tance to write to you at this
time wee are Just a staying
in the the woods Just as we have
bin doing for the last three
monts an I doant know
when wee will get out
of the war I tel you Soldiers
Sees hard times hear but
I hope that wee will soon
get out of this troubbelsum
war for I am tirded of this
ways of live ing
[page 4]
you sed you was agoing to
Send me sum shirts but I
doant need any more Close
now I doant want you to
send me any more Close
now by S A Syks
I will Send you a himd book
an a Song ballet So I must
Close my few lines you
must rite as soone as you get
this letter you must
Direct your letters to
kinston So nothing
more at this time only
remain your kind husban
untel Death from
J. W Write to Mrs
Susan Write
[added upside down in top margin]
I all so send you
a ring to