Jackson Mississippi January the 22 : 63
Dear wife I seat my self to rite you
a fiew lines to inform you that I
am well as to helth tho my feelings is
badly wnded sin I recievd you letter
which informed me that our dear Chlde
had depated this life and I never
wold get to see hir any more
tho when I reflect I think s[h]ee is
btter off than she wold be but it most
brakes my hart to give hir up and your
trubles greavs me mutch it seams to me
that if I cold have bin thar to a bore my
part that it wold not have went so
hard with me but the lords will be
dun and not mine dear Companion we no
that she Can not cum to us but let us
prepar so when we ar caled from time to
eternitee we may meat her whar parting
will be no more I no that if I was thar
you wld be better satisfied but tha[t] is
out of my power tho I hope the time is
not far distant whe I be promited to cume
home to spend my fiew remaning days
with you and my friends if any
thar is a grate talk of peas now and I hope
soon it may be made the boys reached our
camps the 18 of this in [1] they was all well
tell J Catlett I was sorry to hear of
his afflition tho I hope when I hear of
him a gain he will be relievd
[page 2]
tell ant whitter that I havent heard
any thing from H J since we left tennesee
to his regtment is at Vxburg but I dont
think they got thar til the fight was over
and when I hear from them I will rite to hir
tell middleton to s[t]ay at home as long as
the law will allow him and then dog [2] it
and stay the rest of the time for thar
is no sweet in camps
Caroline the boy tha[t] deserted and went home
have not heard thir doom yet tho the
officers that went is redced to ranks and
deserter cannot fill thir place
so I will Close my letter fo the presant
far well far well my frends far well
tho in troubel we are situated and I hope
before the spring our meating
will again be promited o let not this
our friendship chil tho mountains
rise betwene us let truthe and justis
guide our will and god from evil
screan us Caroline I want you and
all to rite to and I will rite to you all
be Compsed and do the best you can and I
will do the same for my self and you too
rite soon and rite oftin so nothing more but
remains your husben until death
so far well for this time
W.P. Mangum To L C Mangum