the
York Town Oct 12 1861
Dear Mother I now seat my
Self to write to you Just
to let you no how we are all
geting along I feel weel
now but I am very weak
from having the measels
I am up but I have not
got over them yet though
I hope I will be soon all
the company is gone to
Cockle Town but the
Doctor would not let
the sick ones go there is
About 20 of our company
that stayed and me with
them ben is gone so me
and him is seperated for
the presant though we wont be
long apart I exspect they
will send for us to day when
I we all get to cockle Town
we will be right on the
Chesapeake Bay so you can
get a map and see where
[page 2]
we are Benj is well he
has been one of the ha[r]tyest
one in the Company since we
left he is now in Cockle
Town him and O Reece and
three or four others is Cald
on to build houses for the
Company to winter in he
is geting 23 dollars A
month that is making money
pretty fast and it is not
harde on him it is as easy
as drilling he dont have
to drill a bit while he
is building the houses for us
to stay in I am glad they
are going to build houses
for us for we would freeze
if we were to stay in tents
in the winter for it is
geting pretty cold here now
it is been rainy and cloudy
and windy now for four or
five days there has been a
great deal of sickness in
the company four of them
[page 3]
dead since we left we buryed
one yesterday though they are
all getting better now we exspect
to have A fight now pretty soon
you must write to me soon give
me all the news Direct your letter
to yorke Town tell Son and Sis
To write to me I wrote to
Son last I sent of[f] a letter
to father yesterday when I
get in winter quarters I
exspect to write to you for
some things that I need
I get plenty to eat we get
more here than we did in
Richmond though I want
to eat some victuals from
home write to me if the
house is done G B Lively
and O. Mitton and A heep others
is left here not being able
to go with the company
Mother please write to me
soon ask Son if she got the
letter I sent her I never have
got the one you sent to me
[page 4]
I have not got but one letter
from you since I left and
if you new the pleasure it give
me to get A letter from you
you would write often we
would write oftener but you
cant mail A letter with nothing
but Silver here in virginia
and the silver is so harde
to get holt of you can get
one dollar of paper for 80 cents
Silver but we could send
them with out paying for them
but you would have to pay for
them when they got there you
have no idie how high things
is here we have to pay 50 cents
a quire for paper and can hardely
get it at that I would write
more but I must come to a
close give my love to all
the boys and Siss and
kiss Son and little Jef for
me I remain your affection
ate Son J.M. Mobley