[This and a previous letter were written for Watkins by Franklin County neighbor John Wesley Williams (b. ca. 1836) while they were serving together in Co. E, 3rd Reg., GA Cav. (State Guards)]

atlanta oct the 18 1863
deare wife I again take the opportunity
of droping you a few more lines
to let you know that I am well
as common and doing well and hope
that these few lines will com safe
to yore kind hand and find you
and tom in joying the same
blessing I hav no important
nuse to wright to you this time
I want to you to wright to mee how
you come on a geathering the corn and
hoo is a geathering hit for you
and whether you hav got hit
geatherd or not frankey I
thought that I wold drop you
a few linenes beeing I had
ant rote but about 8 letters
to you and hant never got nar
ry letter from you yet and
I want to no the reason why
you dont wight so turn over
[page 2]
to mee wess ses he wants to
get som ancers and no what
you ar all doing wee dont no
but what you have all gon
to the war wee ar hear yet but I
I dont no how long wee will sta
heare ther is some talk of us a
going up on chattahoosha but
I dont no where wee will go two
wee ma not go no where tel wee
com home frankey I want you to
pay cheses wife that dollar ef you
hant pade hit and take good
ceare of the rest of my money the rest for mee tel I
come home and tom I want you
to take good cear of my mare
and dont spile heare and dont
ride her two mutch and I wan
t you to sow the wheete as soon as you
can I want to no whether you
hav got that salt or not that
was a coming to you or not
so turn over
[page 3]
I want you both to stay at
home and take god ceare of yore
things tel I com home for wee
nead all that wee hav got and take
good ceare of little Jimey and ef you
can let him hav a pare shoos
let him hav them and wright
to mee whether you can let hav a
pare or not and tel all of the nabors
and conection that I want
to see them all bad and I want
them all to wright to mee and
I wold lov to no whether you hav
got mee arry blanket don or
not and tell hager to save mee
that tobacco for I will nead hit
hit is worth 5 dollars a pound
heare and tel her to save mee
[????] [true?] J W Wadkins
So turn over a gain
[page 4]
deare wif I seen captin chitwoods
and his company last wedensday
and som of them told mee a
report that was a going a
bout home that I dont like
and that was about bobs wadkens
wife a being in a famaley way
and tha sed that the people sed
that hit was mine and I want
you and all of them to no that I
am cleare of that and I want you
and them to no that there is more mean
people as well as mee and that I
am abov that and ef I ever com
home no boddy shant tel mee that
hit is mine but wonce and I want
hit to com from yore hart
whether you bee leav hit or not
or think hit is so or not I will
close on another page
[page 5]
for I dont like for no boddy
to talk about mee that a
way when I cant help my
self I want them to talk about
mee when I am gon to war but
ef that is way tha are a going to talk
tel them to stop hit fore I think
I will com home and then tha
will hav to stop hit or som boddy
will get hurt and more than
that I think I am as good as
any ov them and ef I dont
com home I dont no hoo tha will
hav to talk a bout and I want
frankey to wright back to mee
whether you believe this report
or not and wright soon for I
shal bee in trouble tel
you wright to me about hit
I think I will com home but
I dont no when hit will
bee hit ma bee in 10 days
and hit ma bee a month
[page 6]
so that will do tel I hear from
you frankey I want you to
wright to mee whether you
get this letter or not I had
drother see and tom rite
than any thing elce in the world
just to talk with you an tel
John bard that want to heare
him hollow won more time an
tel him to rite to mee and that will
do as well and tell jes pritchet
that I am a feard he has for got mee
or he wood wright to me and white
the same so no more but direct
yore letters to atlanta in the ceare
of capt w knox tombs
rigement cavealry company e
James Wadkens to Frankey Wadkens
Jame W to F Wadkens
James Wadken is well and so am
eye but Jim is made and I am
sorry J W Williams to
Frankey Wadkens