Harrissons landing va
Dec 12. 1864
Dear sisters and brothers
i now take the
pleasure of writing a few lines to
you hopeing they will find you
all well as they leave me at presant
i have received your kind and
wellcome letter atted the 6th and
was glad to hear from you. i have
received the writing paper and envelops
you sent me you want to know what
whe had for our thanksgiving diner
whe had turkey and a few a[les it
was already cooked you want to know
if i want any thing from home
as for shirts i have drawn them i have
four good ones i have them woolen
gloves yet i got from ben pretty
please let me know what ben pretty
is doing and how e is getting along
i dont think it whould be safe
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to send me a box as the expres onley
runs to citty point you must tell
margeret not to get down hearted because
she has got no work as i hope i will
get paid next month then i will have
ten months pay due me and then if
nothing happens and i get it home safe
she iswellcome to ennought of it to
make her comfortable i am comfortable
here and i want you all to be their
if she is in want of any thing please
get it for her and charge it to me
you say that will looks like a
butcher part of his old regiment
was here a few days back i am glad
to hear that james is a fine little
fellow i wish i was paid that i could
make him a presant of something i
was sorry to hear that livey is sick
but i hope she will soon get better
you say you are going to many
[yank?] [?] please give my
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respects to James and mary wilds and
to their children. i have wrote
a letter to James Elliott but have had
no answer yet. you say some of the
famileys have moved away from
upland please tell me who they are
you say that you will have some
buckweat cakes in the morning i will
have some cakes to but they will be in the
shape of hard tack please send me
five dollars in your next if you can
i will make it al right with you i
think it will be safe ennought in
the mail it was a cold night last
night but as luck whould have it
i was not on guard. whe have the
presidents messedge here i am glad
to hear that part of it that it says
that the war will cease on the
part of the goverment when it ceases
on the part of them that begun it
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i must now close so no
more at presant from
your affectionate brother
Arthur Martin

Please Write soon