Nov the 18 1862
Dear father I now sit down
to write a few lines to you
I am well and I never was
tougher in my life than I
am now the boys are all well
contented I guess we see a
good many droll things here
I haint seen an ox team
since I left Portland it is
mules and nigers here we
have bin to a good many
difrant places and I haint
seen the place that I should
rather live than to live in
maine and the folks out here
think a good deal of the boys
that come from maine the folks
out here keep 3 or 4 dogs to a house
and their hogs run out in the
road or any whare and they dont
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have any schoole houses or meeting
houses it is a real heathern
place is va it dont seem like
sunday any time here if I did not
keep the run of the days I should
not now when sunday came but
I hope the ware will be setled
up and we shall all come home
safe I want you to look out
and see about my money that
is 10 dollars a month from the
state and I guess I will send
this home and if I get short I
will write for some but I dont
no for a surtane wheather we shall
stop here or not but when we
do move I will write give my
love to all tell them I am well
and so are the rest write as soon
as you can write all the news
about home winter all the stock
you can from your son E Turner
[1] you need not send me any
money till I want you to and
I will write then