Norfolk Dec the 8 1862
Dear wife and Children I
inform agan by thes few lines that
I am pretty well at present Hoping
these few lines may find you all in
good health this is about four o clolck
in the morning and the rest are sleeping
and hear I am seting all alone riting
these few lines with much thinking of
you Cortilia and the poor little children
but here I am and see no other way, but
help to put this rebellion down if I can
I have always thought that slavery is
Something wrong and now I can tell you
I think more so than ever I did before if
you could just see how it looks out
here som times you dont see no persons
but darkies for two or three days without
Soldiers but there is some good ground
here of the very best but it aint cultivated
like our land in pennsylvania but now I
ask you how you got along with
[page 2]
Butchering I would like if I could
Eat with you again our victuals aint
So bad just now that a man cant live
we get twice a day coffe and at dinner
bean an rice Soup but you get your
measure So much and that is all now that
is the way we live but the government
provides well for the people but when
it has went through So many speculators
we are cheated out of what the government
wants us to have Cortilia let me know
how you got along with Butchering
and what the pigs and calf weighed
and of every thing that you can think
of rite often Tell David to rite to me and
get wood for you and Isaac kime will
make if [fin?] tell David to get a cord
hickory wood if he can it is the best
wood for winter if I live to come back
I can tell you much about what I saw
and what a man must go through when we
are out we must obey orders it may be what
it will
[page 3]
This is monday the 8 of Dec
and we are busy preparing our camp
we fixed our camp to day and our tent we
Caried Break and John Single masoned
a firer place in our tent and now we
live more comfortable this is tuesday
morning this is a very [fine?] morning,
and I have to go to drill this forenoon
and I must soon close my letter
it is pretty cold these few days rite
if it is cold and if you have snow
the butter is 40 cents a pound I would
like if you would send David about
Brother David I would like if you
Wold send me about 4 lb of yur
Ranks tobacco and if you send me
Some tobacco I can chew but if you
dont I think I will have to quit it
for it is 2.00 dollars a pound here
and you may as well Send me a [box?]
Box that holds some provision about
two feet or So Long, and Send me
[page 4]
Some sausage Cortilia father
Will put some in and you
Some an Cortilia put a piece
of that calf in but cook it and
if you have the cow send me
A little butter you may as well
Send it little biger box than
than a small one for it dont
cost much more just want
You to send me one box then
I wont trouble you know more
to send one any while I can
keep it one, I would lik to
have a Christmas gift from you
Cortilia and from father and
mothers, and Brother David and who
Ever wants to give a little Christmas
gift to me I will be glad for it
but I cant send you any thing
just now Cortilia send 3 Spools
of black waxed thread and a
little Stocken yarn and nedles
for to darn my stocking and a
two handkerchiefs for round my
neck of them [gimen?] don Send
Send me no others clothing Brother
David if you sen
yo our Heus
band Amos Henry