No 21 Newport News Feb 22st [1863]
Va.
sunday Moring it rains
Hard it hase rained Ever sence Larst
Night or it snowed in the Night it turned
Rained aGhain this moring it Flowed
In to our tent this moring we had to Git
Shovel and dig a dearn. we Shall no how
Fix it. it is our new tent we like very
Much But this is to Going on Pickets
We use to have to Start Let the wether be
Ever so Bad it made no ods we had to Go
Start in the moring Git Back next
Moring with out Eny Sleep Sometimes
M Wet and Cold Crawl in to our Shelter
tent and Lay down some times I. had
turn in it was so Cold i had to turn in
to Git warm and mud of any aquanty
it would be over Shoes or it would befrore
hard and uneven we had to suffer a Good
Deal ithink this is agood Place I hope we
Shall stay heare a Spell you Can buy
Every Cheap Chees 20 ct Buttur 35 ct Oisters
All Picked out 25 Pies from 5 to 10 ct small
ones Rathers Poor ones
[page 2]
you would Laugh to see the darkes
Peddlers men and womenn with
horse Carts with Oisters Pies Cakes, Oisters
Cakes, I. wish Lester Alty Could see them there
Are about 25 to thirty Every Moring Come
Pedle the Settlers are all dwn to the
Wharfe we have Git a Pass to Go there
Womenn with there turBans on there
heads Milk at 25 cts qut Orangas About
8 ct apeace I. Got a Pint of oisters and they
Was Nice ones I. tell yow Geart deal
Better then you Git to home they are
We Can Git fresh fish. Pickerl and
Perch 25 cts a dozen Sausegds 20 cts. lb
But there Pies are not litke like Moss[t]
Pies such you and the rest the folks Make
Mr. Goldtheread had some very nice
Mince Pies. and Plum Puddings which
I. had the Pleashuer of Eatting a Porshen
Foartress Munrow. Is about 12 Miles
Frome heare the Moniter. 2d
the. Clomba Lay of heare with her Mast
Sticking up But sunk. I am Going cut
that Loaf Cake the 27th Winny Birth day
[page 3]
And if you Git this Letter you must
Celebret it tow I Shall but it 12 oclock
And you must At the same time and
Write a Letter in the Eveing I. want
you thank all the doners of that Box
And William For the Apples and M
Manson For Making the Boots I. like
them very much tell Lester I. Got
A pair of Boots as well as. he does Lester
Go. To Meetting with you have you
Joind the Chu Curch do think it strang
that I. did not write did you think
that I. had Fogeton you God Forbid
that I Should forget. I hope the time
Will Come when I. Shall Meet you. and
Mother once more God Grant the time
Will Soon Com and them Inocence Children
W how I. Should like to see I. was
Weighted the ather day I weight 134 lbs
8 Pounds More then I Ever did I. like
My vest very much But rather tite
I have Grone so fat tell about Dame
he told he would Git his discharge if he Could
[page 4]
Them suseges was bery Good Put them in
Warm wartter and then fry them they
tasted Good thel tell Lester and Alty there
Corn and Losengers was first rate you
Ask if we have wo reading we do not
have Eny this hase Ben a hard storme I
think the rain is about over it is Bery
Conftable heare in the tent But rather damp
I hope we Shall Git our Pay in a day or
two I gush Gess you Better not do Eny thing
About a Box it Cost so much I. received
your 31. Last Night with the money 50 an 50 cts
before Mr Gold there Box Come throght
In a week. how does your Coal and wood
hold out My Shirt Come Back washed
very Nice I. Shall send more to morrow
how about wagons haddent you Better
Sell if you Can Git $30.00 thirty dollars
And Git you Some Colth
yow Most obeadent husband
A kiss for All James Pratt
Good By
[1] I Sold a Pound of
Buttur to Lt. Lions
you Can Leve of the Car of
Cpt Pratt