Springfield Coal pits March 22th 1863
Dear Sister an Brother I receive your
Letter yestidday an was glad to hear
you all an hear that you all was
well I am well at the preasant time
an in hopse wen these fiew Lines Come
To hand they May find you an all
Enjoying the same blessing Sister you
wrote me word that Edny would be sold
at next Court and part would pay for
Mary an Jo. if it d shod knot Tell
Edward he can pay that money he
gits from Captain Bacon sister you
must write me word how much I have
to pay William T is Comeing home this
Week an we all have sine the pay roll
I hope that iwill get about fifty
five dollars if I git it be fore he start
home I want to sen the most [of] it home
sister I recken mama an Puss is sortter
hot with me I havent receive but one
Letter from them sence I was at home
an I have writen to them five times
an I shant write to them eny more
Tell I gits A Letter I was sorry to hear
Dot Cole was under arrest I want
to k[n]ow what has come of our brave
[page 2]
John Caida I expect it will go wright
Hard with Dot Cole you Must tell Mama
that she must write to me you can tell
puss that she wrote W T C that she thort
that wrote like I thort dot was trying
to impose orn me can tell puss I am
knot afread of Dot imposeing orn
me except Iwas drunk an I am inhopes
that he is mor of agentleman then to
Due that Sister you must to me
soon as you gits this Letter I have
no nuse more then our men an the yan
keys had afight at fredreckburg a fiew
days ago an our men whip them

I will bring my Letter to A
By say I remain your affecteonat
Brothe untell Death John C. Collins