Parris Island
March 4th 1863
Dear sister Ellen
I thought I would
Write you a few lines to
let you know that I am
well at present and
I hope these few lines may
find you the same I got your
letter a bout ten days
ago and was glad to hear
from you I was paid off
and I sent a check home
in mothers letter wich
I suppose she got by the
time you get this letter
I also got a letter from
Cusin John Fienan not long
ago and I got a letter from
Martha day before yesterday
and I was verry glad to
[page 2]
Hear from her
I have not received that
box yet that you ware a
going to send me last
month the weather is
begining to get warm at
this place I have not got
Much news of any importance
to write to you at this time
We left hellena island not long
ago and came to this place
and they put us right in
a nest of darkies we have
our quarters in an old
cotton house we have
dancing every night
Jake charles must take better
care of his new wife [than?]
that to [???] her get [???]
Martha told me that her
old man got hurt on the
rail road by coal train
[page 3]
If you ware Down in this
cuntry you would say it
is the [hardest?] cuntry you
ever saw the watter is not
verry good but I have got
used to it by this time
and I herd that archer
van leer has come home
sick my helth has bein verry
good so far thare was a
lot of Darkies brought a
lot of whiskey in camp
and there was a lot of drunken
fellows here some of them
thought they ware on a
boat and thought they
would drownd and they
would [scard?] the Negros they
ware runing in every
direction Well I must bring
my letter to a close by
asking you to
[page 4]
Write soon and
let Me Know how
You are a getting along
No More at Present
But still Remain
Your Affectionate
Brother
John Guest
To his Sister Ellen
March the 4 th
1863