POPULAR GROVE [1]
CHURCH. DEC TH [??] 1864

Give my love to all I know
James F Goodwin
To Jennie O Goodwin
December the 13 1864
write as soon as you get this
and not fail
Dear Sister
I take this oppertunety to write
yo you a few lines to you to
inform off my helth wich is very
good for me at present and hope this
will find you all well I recieved
your letter last night the 12 and was
glad to here from you I got one
from Father at the same time
and a plag of navy and them papers
that tuttle had and I Got that
two Dollars and Eigh[t] stamps
but them stocking I have not seen
[page 2]
but that plug of tabacco come in
a good time for I was all out and
last night I Got five days mail
we have been off on a raid the [15?] Corps
and our Division that is the 3 Division
off the 2 Corps the 3 Division is the
one that I am in the 3 Division of the
2 Corps we went to the black river
and tore up twenty five miles of rail
read and burned the ties and brook the
rail and burned every house on the
road as we Come back wich was
fifty miles we was Gorn five days on
that march December the 14 I though[t]
that I would try and write a
few lines more to day as I had
not time to finnish yesterday
and we Lay in the woods and
I dont To know when we shall
Go in winter quarters it is
about thime I should think
we had such and Ice Storm
here last saturday and it was
[page 3]
as Cold as the divel ever sence
untill to day to day it is quite plesent
the seen has Come out once more
I have got ever thine that you
have sent except them stocking
thread that you sent to me
Oh Jennie I sent you a paper with
Some Cotton seeds in it I thot I
would let you know the Cotton
grows out here the trees that them
grows on is a bout two feet high
on the march I have seen
thousand of acears that hant been
picked yet and we burnt thousand
Dollars worth Cotton and Corn
and Gut all the turkeys and
Ducks geece hens pigs and sweet
potatoes whiskey apple jack Cider
Molasses and darn thing that
we could get hold of took a long
with us well I Cant writ any
more ths time for I have got a bile
on my sholder and it is as sore as time
[page 4]
I dont know as you Can
find this out by
[?] for I have a bad place
to write here in the woods
you may send me a few
envelops if you pleas