March the 19 1863
vicks burg mississippi
Dear Companion it is through
the kindness of god I am pro
mitted to address you this eavning
I have nothing of importance
to rite at this time more
than I am well and doing
tolarble well I recievd a letter
from brother M.B. and was
very glad to hear from him
with the rest of you he rote
that he was going in to
survis under Captain Kemp
I think that he has don well
I wold a liked for us to have
bin to geather but I hope
that he will do better for
I did not think that
he wold ever cold stand marching
a foot and I wold not insist
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on him no way for I wanted
him to do the best that he
could for him self and that
wold bea bad a nuf
I also recievd a letter from
you and B L and John
and was very glad to hear
from you I wold like
well to bea with you
all at home but this you
sea is imposible at this
time but I hope that it
will not bea long til
this war will close and
the long desired and happy
time will cum when we
can cum home in pease with
god and man and rejoys
with our famaleys and
friends once more
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but we must do the best
that we can for our selvs
til that time comes
our Coneral Caled us out
in to lines and made us a
speach and he said that
he thought that too more
months wold deside it
and I think it will
I heard that we was
orderd to savannah
and I hope that we will
go for it cannot be any
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sicklier than it is hear and
I think that we wold far
better thar than we do
hear and I think it wold
help us to move any how
and I never was bornd
to stay in mississippi
and I dont want you
to brake that old flat
mouth pitcher til I
can get to Cum and
drink one more bate
of butter milk out of it