the
Camp Marian Cockle Town October 27 1861
Dear Mother I now take my pen in hand
to write you afew lines just to let you
no how we are all geting along well I am well at
present and hope these few lines to find
you all the same I received your letter last
night and it give me much pleasure to hare
from you and I now seat my self this eve
ning to write to you you say you have
not received but one from me since I
left I have writen to you several times
but you never got them Ben is well
and is the funeyest and Devlishest fellow
in our company the boys all like him fine
he got at some of his Mischief one day
and he liked to got put in the
garde tent now dont think that he
is bad but just puny the boys all
say they would not have him
out of the company for nothing we
will bee in houses before long I
hope Dear Mother you spoke About
my saying which one of my ambrotypes
Grammother had you no that I wrote
worde for you mother to take your
choice I had one taken that I thought
was better looking than the rest it
was the one I thought you would take
was the reson I wrot which one she had
the one I think was the pretty est was
the one with the black coat an [siting?]
down with out my belt an it was my
choice I thought you would like it
so write to me if you did you said
[page 2]
before I left you had rather have it
taken with out uniform so I had one
taken with out it only I had on my
pants I wrote to you the same day
to take choice and I thought you
would take it so dont think that
I want you [???????????????????] [1]
of the others by no means suit
your self but dont you think
it was the best and I just wanted
to no if you took it or not it
was the one I thought you would
take the one standing up was the
uglyest one I thought of the three
but it its time to talk about somthing
elce the blankets and matress ticke
come to me I wrote to you and to
Father write of[f] but it has not had tim e
to reach you yet father said in his
letter he had three letter on the way
for me but I have not got them
the socks you spoke About is some
thing I need for I have not got
nary pair of wool socks but I
will write to you and Gran mother
what I want so dont send the socks
unless you get a good chance not
yet a while there is a store here
we can get things if we get in a
tite place but it is time for me
to close if you will get stamps for
your letters they will come better
I no nothing more at presant only I
remain your tru and affection Son
J. M. Mobley