Portsmouth Va August 16 1861
Dear Mother I seat Mi self
this morning to let you know
that I am well and hoping thas
few lins may find you in joyin
g the same blesing I told you
that I would let you know
wkhat sort of close i would want
I would like to have two jeans shi
rts and a wes coat as nigh the couler of
our uniform as you can get it our
uni form will be like the one we le
ft home with only a little darker I
want you to mak mi uniform if
I donot send send mi measure git mr
lucus to have them cut and let you
make them tha have got mi mesure
at the clothing store but it is two
small have them cut at least a inch
and a half larger round the wa
[page 2]
ist and thighs and hips i want
them to be lined with good heavy
stout goods the sleaves of mi coat
full two inches longer that the ot
hers and a inch larger and a inch
around the waist and a inc
h larger a cross the shoulders it
better be about a inch larger all
over I want it to be lined evry w
here [1] with good strong cloth as cours as
you can get I would like to have
it paded if you have have time
to do it for i expect it will be po
werfull cold here in the win
ter if we have to stay in our tents
we can not have much fire if i
send mi measure you will find
it inclosed in this letter crops is ve
ry good here rain commenced day bef
ore yes tardy and is now raining
hard there has bin no dril to day
Danill towns and reace grigry and
[page 3]
george belong to this regment
and some of mi old acquain tince from
houston there has bin nothin
new since i rote before you have all
the news about the wars as wel
as we do there was some bums thrown yes
tardy eavening be low here but I
recon tha were practicen lutenent 
daniel [2] will be coming back be fore
long you can find our when he
is coming back and send let ters bi hi
m find our when he is coming bac
k and let all no that wants to rite
to me give all the famly mi resp
cts mr lucas will let you know
where you will get the clorth to ma
ke mi pants and coat tell par if he
has much brandy to sel if he wi
ll carry it to houston he can get a
dollar and a half or two dollars a gallo
n I have no[t]hing more at present
I stil remain your affectionate
Son Joh[n] W Nabers