Newbern. July the 21. 1863
Dear Father and mother
as i have just received a
letter from you i thought
i would answer it my health
is rather poor as you have
seen in my last letter but
i think that i am frowing
better. i have bin here thirteen
days now how your health i trust
it better than mine,, i was very
much pleased with your last
letter for i hurd from
John and Lizzie they were at
home and s[t]ayd about a week
John wrote i suppose father
haying went along nicely then
so he has got about som
by this time i suppose
is he going to by eny grase
this summer i should think
[page 2]
he would he has got so
strong a team.. how is the
grass coming in this year
and how does the crops
look is there going to be a
good many apples this year
and does the folks go fishing
pretty often i would like
to be there and cetch some
of those pickerell i suppose
Mr Brown goes as often
as ever have you got that
old mary Gardner Boat yet
Jim sawtell aint there
to trouble it – now i will
drop this subject and
commence a new you
wrote me that you
thought the sothern confed
eracy back was about broken
it is about time we have
taken vicksburg and port
hudson and i wouldent
[page 3]
much wonder if charlston
by this time. if it ant
now it will be soon
i think for foster is in
command of the north and
south carlina the papers
state he was there in fort
sumter when they took
it from us he was captain
of the guns i under stand
he got them to bear onto
the citty and had them
loaded with hot shot when
major anderson came along
and asked him whare he
was pointing his guns and
awderd him to direct them
of[f] from the citty.. if he
is in command there
and has started it
he will put it through
we havent got but a very
small force here but
[page 4]
the keep them a snaping
i had just come of[f] from
a march when i came
in here now i will drop
this subject and strike onto
something else i hear that
they are drafting there agan
and they are going to fill up
the old rejiments with concrips
have you hurd eny thing about
it – Now there is some talk
about we getting paid of[f] soon
they owe me five months
pay but we shant get but
four whether i shall get mine
i cant tell being in the
hospittal i beleive i have
sent home 47 dollars haint
i though i suppose you have
yoused some of it to get my
cloths now i wanto know
how much money i have got
in the Bank i suppose i have
got two hundred dollars haint i
and when i get paid of[f] i shall
send fifty if i can Now in regard
to those bundles that i sent one
i sent by amos Jarvic he lives in
bolten he sed he went to mr bulls and
he wasent open so he left it at the
brick house on the corner as you go
[1] up to the wider blanchard i dont mean wetherby and she sed
she would [ary?] it over perhaps she may have forgot it
the other i havent hurd from
write soon with love to all