Fort powhatan va. July 8 1864
Dear sisters and brother i now take
the pleasure of writing a few lines to you
hopeing they may find you all well
as they leave me at presant. i have just
received your kid and wellcome letter
dated the forth and was glad to hear
from you. you tell me that there
has been no letter from James Elliott
for six weeks perhaps he is somewere
where he cant write. i have not heard
from the company since i left the
fort. i am sorry to hear that that
Samuel hopkins is dead sam was a
good fellow. you want to know what
kind of a forth we had we had a
pretty dul one we raised a flag
staf and flag and fired a sallute
in honor of the day we are working
here yet. we got two twelve pound
brass howitsers here which was captured
in the entrencgments of peterburgh
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by Gen Kautce cavilry we are mounting
them on the fortification here i think
the rebels whould have a hard time
of taking this place. ask John if he
would like to learn a trade if he
would to come here as we have
plenty of picks shovels and wellbarrows
there is no news here at presant
you say that John is getting in his
hay i hope will [1] will soon be home to
help him the first words will
asked me was about the place. please
write soon so no more at presant
from your affectuibate brother
Arthur Martin
Please dirrect the same