Yorke Town October the 9 1861
Dear Father and Mother I now take
my pen in hand to write you a
few lines Just to let you no how
we are all getting Along and to give
you an account of our trip to york town
we had a bad time of it coming to
York Town we come half the way on
the cars and the other on the steam
boat we were crowded to death nerly
on the seam boat I was sick all
the way when we landed it was night
and was raining the hardest sort we
had then to march about three miles
in the rain when we stopt we was
wet and tired we then had to go to
work puting up tents we then made
up fires and dride but we had to
sleep on the wet ground I was sick
the next morning but They put me
on garde I stood two hours when they
took me of[f] and before any time come
on again I was so sick they had to
put another man in my place I went
In my tent but I kept geting worse
I felt quarer than I ever did in my
life the doctor give me medicine but it
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done me no good one night I told
Ben to make me a cup of tea he made
it and I drank it the next morning
I felt a good eal better but when
it got good light Ben looked in my
face and says he good gracious how the
measels is broke out on yo and they
were I am up now but not able to
Drill I never had nothing to weaken me
so in my life I walk about now evry day
there was about twenty of our company
had them the same time I did I got
A letter from you while i was down
but my eyes was so bad I could not
read it Ben red it for me you said I
would be aware that there was two letters
on the way for me but I had not got
neither one of them when I got yours but
I got the one from Siss a few days after
but I have not got the one from
Mother yet mother you must write me
an other one as I have not got but one
from you since I left. we are now on
the york river it is here About 8 miles
wide you can stand here and sea as far as
your eyes can reach on the water we can
Sea the block adeing ships plain from
where we are we expect a fight evry
day we are going to put up winter quarters
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in Coccle Town about 6 miles from where
we are now we are going to put up houses
to winter in O Reece Ben and 8 more of our
Company is got to help build the houses
that is one good thing for us shore for
it is geting pretty cool here now to day
is cloudy rainy windy cold day we thought
we was going to get in for it twice since
we have been here one night we had an
alarm and the way the men was cauled
in to lines was the way the cavery went of[f]
About half speed though the yankees
cant do nothing with york Town it is
two strong fortifide there is six hundred
negroes here at work evry day making brest
works we are now in about 10 miles of
the yankees. General Wool is landed at
new port news we expect him and
Magruder will have it before long we are
under Magruder now but I hope the fight
wont come on till I get my strength back
so I can bee in it we exspect to move
in Afew dayes when I was sick I
thought if I could sea you or mother or
Sis or Jane or Son or mony or gran mother
it would cure me right of [f] I have received
letters lately stating to me that
there was A company going of[f] frome
that settle ment now father let me
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give you a peice of advice dont you go
with them Just for my sake and if I
was you Gus nor Aaron should not
go but if they do go you must not go
no how you must stay at home and
write to me if you will stay it has been
troubble me ever since I heard of the
Company for fear you would go with it
they say they are going for six months
but dont you go with them now you
do as I tell you for if I was to heare
that you was gone I would bee miserable
we fare A heep better in york Town than
we did in Richmond we get more than we
did there and more of it Siss I Will write
to you and mother next Siss there was
something in your letter that don me more
good than Alittle if I was setten it
was so I would feel Agood deal better
Dear Siss speak all the good word for me
you can. Dear Mother you said you wanted
to send me somthing to eat when we
get in winter quarters I will write to you
then what to send for I want to eat some
victuals from home bad but it is
time for me to come to a close Please
answer this as soon as possible Direct your
letter to york town I remain your affection
son J. M. Mobley