July 22th 1866
Dear Dudly
I am glad that I am yet in the land of
the living and I asteam it a geat privleg that
that I am yet spad to right to you once more
I was glad to receav your leter and from the
childron and that all was well which give me
much satisfacttion thise leves us all well
at this time and we hop this may find all
well and dooing well I hav no interresting ne
ws to right but you must excuse me for not
righting to you before this time for har
rasments and berivements of this life I
must stat to you that dth has a gain viseted
us and has tken one away that was much be
lovd by meny by all theat nw her mary
Jane departed this life the 24 day of may
1866 she was willing to meet with the marster
and I hope that she is at rest with him
who made her willing to meat with master
I tust she was strong in the path
of crst and tell the morster that Jesus died and
she was willing to met him in the fath
and love of crist I trust she is now with
all the happ [fyde?] spirets and just mad purfect
in gory a wating the arival [fred?] to wlcom
them to next o my sun in home I much I exort
you in the nam of jesuscrist be stron in the
lord contend ernestly for the fath once
deliverd to sants exorte your cildron and tell
them that jesus died for siners and may god
[??] you efforts – this last june the first
day 1866 I 72 years old I was born the first day
of june 1794 – of the times you wised to no a but
[Enessy?] &
[page 2]
you wished [enesis?] the old par tree is yet standing
and the chery tree but the lime has bin
cut of the quince tree it is puty much like it
ust be only [???] we hav had a drouth [??] we
aks that time we hav had three fine [???] sum cops
ar ver good and sum not we can not get the niggros to
work regler tha like to run a bout and chang
a but our cop upto this time is a far one oate crop
is fine we faild in wheat the crop of weat is ver ind
ifrent in the conty corn is worth $6 fowe 15.16.18
dollor a barel bacon 20¢ 25¢ a pond tobcco from 4[?] to
[?] dolors acrdin to the quality and as thay want it
for suger from 16 to 20¢ coffee from 40 to 45 ¢ a pound
lams from $2.50 to 3. a peace as to labor I hav dun
very as yet georg and william ar with me yet
and get an old woman and girle for bord and
clothes thay stay a but the huse george and william
has a put of the cop mary leavs levs but one child
he is a but haf gone childon is all well J robter
son very poly & Edwins wife all so
harret has 3 childon marred and 3 gran children
and william one slly anns oldst sun j henry
marred has one so we hav 7 get grachildron
all the childron is [burred?] to old place and all
the grancildron but too and thy could be got [heow?]
I shoud to see all but dont think I shall in this
world so pepar to met thy god Excuse bad righting
speling my hand is nervs all sends thar love
you all so far well for this this time I leav
you in hands of god wo I hope will prtect
you thro life and sev you all in deth I trust for
christ sake I must concud remaining
your affecant farther untell deth
NB H.. Cosby
[page 3]
I wish to no whether you ws in war or not
wich side you was the hole armys of bot sids
came on by my house athug out to geters vill
thay fot from peters burg to appormtcks county
thar thay finished thay all a long from Bookers bige to the upper brig the up the rod
through [cavly?] old pace and clear to get[?] will then up the rod by s[??] creak so on tell
the surrender a good menny kild wounded and tak prsners
I nev expectd to see and hear such times
James in for 3 years he was on the purtomck in the valy and last year he was taken with
dipthe down in bed 5 or 6 months and best part of the he was helples he is now
in tolable helth for well right
soon and dyrect your leter to
[morven?] post office