Ca[m]p Near Mishinery Ridge
Nov the 19 1863
Mrs M. A. McCorkle My Deare
Wife your leter of the 14 instant is know
be fore me and I am proud to let you
that you are all well and to let you
know that I think I am improving
sloley feel beter than I have in 8 wekes
Martha it dose me a geateal of good to
get a leter from you and I want you to
right often and let me heare from you
Martha I think you had beter get
Mr Streete to try and get you a ne
gro man and if he Could get Jim I think
he would sute you beter than eny I know
of and you might fifty or sixty
Dolars for him it is a harde mater to get
a furlow but I intend to try to get on a
bout Crismust if I can for I do want
to se you very bad worse than any body
else in this world but I still live in
grate hopes of seeing you before long
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Martha it is very Cold a way up hear
in the mountains a soldes life is a hard
one he hast to live harde and lie harde
and ceepe Cold So you may kno
how it is Martha tell the children
all howdy and tell them how bad
I want to see them Martha I think
of you and them know dout when
you are all asleape give my love to
mary and the children tell them howdy
give my respects to awnt poley
and Martha keep in good sperets and
trust in the good one fore it gives me
a grateaal of trowble to think that
yow are low spereted and in trowble so
the best way to takes this ware is to put
the best fot famesst and keep your hed
up So Martha I will Close do the best
you Can and what ever way you think
best so I send you afectionate
husband John McCorkle