[the letter writer may have been his sister, Mary Ann McCorkle]

January th17 1864

Dear John I take this moning
to Drop you a fiew lines to
let you no that I am well
as could be Expected I have
had the best time I Ever had
up to this time I feal better
and was glad to hear from
you and that you was a
mending so fast as you ar
I am proud to no that you
are well If I cannot git
to see you I want you to
keep well untill we meat a
gain John I want you to
Try and come home I think
If you would Try you could
git of[f] Eight or ten days as
the times seames to be Quiet
In the army t ry If you pleas
[page 2]
John the baby is not Right
well but a little cras [1] as
all children are at hur age
she has bin as good a chile as
you Ever saw all of the Rest
of the children are well &
have had as good health as
they Ever head they are as
fat as bores and as peart
as crickets Tomas sends Howd[o?]
for him and will Fly at all
the children send howdo
to you and wants to see
you very bad martha has
not hiard a nigro yet
and she Dos not no what
to Doe she has got five men
tryen and hiar for hur but
all have fail up to this time
I mus come to a close may god
bles boath now and M A McCorkle
for Ever may be my Prar