Camp dalton Ga
Febuary 14th 1864
Dear companion and Family I am happy to Say
to you that I am bleste with health and
opportunity to drop you thees few lines in
answer to yours of the 29th of Jan which come
to hand the 9th of this inst which stated
that you was all tolerable well at that time
For which I am glad to hear but was sory
to hear of you not beeing well
but hope that you will bee well before this
comes to hand. Thare was [four?] words in
your leters that I cold not read thees is the
Letter the way thay are. The [seh?] eel you[?]
to day isom has burnt has alses thee are
they [??] [??] [???] thee [??] over them
I was glad to hear that the boys was
learning so fast and I want them to conten
ue to learn and to bee smart boys till
I come home you wrote that you did
Not want you me to reinlist till I
got to Come home I have not reinlisted
yet But if I wait till I get to Come
home first I fear that the yankeys
will over power use and then hit will
Bee too late to doo eny good every
body is tired of the ware and expect to
[page 2]
Go home a while and rest an if they
dont fite while they have the armes
they cant when the yankey invader
disposseses them of all. the birden is
very greait now that is tru but had we
Not Better Forebeare with hit fore a
while than to [???] the knee of servetued
to the Foe in a helpelis condition
hware thare wold bee no [dye?] to nitly
[force?] you [??] [?????] of hit how
doo you think that I wold but to see you
and the children and conection in servetued
to the foe. I am sorry to say though hit
is the case thare is hundreds of them
that is determiend on [reuin?].
I have been lookeing for father every
day But have Not heard from him
yet I am afraid that we will bee
gone from hear before he comes
so Nothing more at Presant at
this time only hope that if we
Never shale be permited to meet
on Earth that we may bee prepared
to meet in a better world so fare
well Epharim Hampton
plees show this to fathers People