North Carolina March 30 [1865]

My dear friend
I take my pen in hand
to inform you that I am
well at present hoping
these few lines may find
you the same & futher we
are now guarding the rail-
road between Williamton
& Goldsborrow we had a
long and hard
march we marched over
100 miles we crosed the cape
fear River and then the north
west branch & then to
Kingston && the marched
to the nuice River there
the fight was going on but
we did not get inot it
& futher I hear we are going
to Mount Ollive Station
it is awfull how thing get
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destroyed here Gen Shermans
Army leaves nothing we
live principly on forage
Shermans army did not draw
any goverment rations for
sixty days but I cant go into
the houses and rumage it
out I only steal a chicken
once and a while or some
sweetpotatos the cars are
now running from Williamton
to Goldsburrow & then to
Buford & Morehad city
I think the rebs are nerely
p[l]ayed out here if we stay
here yet a while I think
they have all fled to Raleigh
& futher I received you
welcome letter last evening
and it contained the most
news of any that I yet
received & about that
red headed girl I will
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tell you the truth I
had no sextual intercource
with her for she did not
give me an opportunity or
perhaps I might had give
her a touch & futher I
would like to be with
you one saturday evening to
drink some lager beer for
I had none since I am in
the army & it makes my
mouth water to think how
we used to drink it but
in about five months
I will make it pay again
I am verry sorry that Dan
Diffenderfer is moving away
there I want you to write to
me where he has to and who
has moved to the tavern
& futher the weather is
warm here we had a
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thundergust yesterday &
things are all in blosom
here and corn has been planted
in the middle of this month
their chief production is corn
rice cotton sweet potato and
turpentine & rosum & making
nigers but they wont make
much where we go through
for we fire all the woods
& they burn like powder I
wish you could only seen
half as mutch as I have you
would have seen enough I
have seen some hard times &
heart rending cases I think
I must stop for want of
news excuse my bad writing
for I wrote this on my knee
it is not so convenient as on
your table tell Daffer to write
to me without delay so no
more Amos Breneman
Yours Truly
Abrm H Good