Charleston October 21, 1862
Dear wife I seat myself
to Drop you a few lines to in
form you that I am well at
this times an hoping this
m[a]y find you an Juley in
the best of helth to all
so the rest of the famley to
an frends to the boys is all
well now an in joying tha
selfs fine hear I am well
satfied hear an the boys all
gites a long well hear to gether
times is dul hear now an cool to
tha is a heep of vesles a coming
in hear now but not yeankees
vesles tho Margret the thing
that me an yow was a tarking
a bout is like I told you
Ever thing was rite when I got
back hear I hant don no Dudy
yet my lutenant told me not
to do eny Duty tell I got well
good so I am a working a rond hear yet
[page 2]
I am a doing very well
hear now I still think we
will all git home this spring
to stay thar as long as we want
to stay that time will com
after whil I think Time stopes
for no man I think we are as
saft as we wod bee at home
from fiting sault is worth
too hundred an fifty Dollars a
sack hear now take car of you
sault an git all you can
Mag I have bout som corn
from Peeter Morhorn for your
bread you send an git it when
you want it I bout teenty
five Bushels I was not to give
him more than a Dollar a
bushe I have paid teenty Dollars
to wardes it to cap Mohorn
an I will Pay the balans
beefore long I think me an
cap will setel that hear yow
will have to bee cearful of you corn
as you can
[page 3]
Margret I will write
you what I have bin a
Doing to Day hear this is
tuesday the 21 of the month
I went up town an had
my forshon told she told
me you wod bee well in a fue
days an she told me tha was a
talabul old woman a living
with you I want to now who
it is an wher she told me the [1]
trouth or not an meny other
things I will tel you when
I see you I wonted to see
if she cod tell the trouth or
not I will write after whil
mour what she ses I hant
got time now if you hant
got no one aliveing withe you
git som one if you can
an if you cant hirer som
negro if you can Every thing
is mity hight hear now
[page 4]
oftian I think of home
when a long ways off
Dont Expose you self to make
you sick helth before ever
thing els in the worl
that renders me oneasy
when I hear you are sick
take car of your self an Juley
if ever thing else goes to destruck
ion let it go that ma[t]ers not
I will close hug Juley an
kiss hear for me and the same
you self you untell
Death Elijah T. D. Hawkins
Margret Hawkins