William P. Mangum to Louisiana C. Mangum

the 10 1863
Dalton Ga december
Dear and Kind companion
it is through the tender
murces of god I am prom[i]ttd
to adress you a fiew lines
through which I can very
inform you that I am well
truly hoping those fiew
lines may find you well
and doing well i have
nothing of intrest to
write to you times is
very hard hear I recievd
your kind letters of No
the 22 on sept the 8 [1] and was
very glad to hear from
all one time more and to
hear that you was well tho
was sorry to hear of mother
being sick tho I nead not
expect any better
[page 2]
when hir trouble cumes
[???]ble in hir old age I also
recievd your favor of No
the 24 I recieved it on decemb[r?]
the 9 which gave me grate
satisfactin I was proud to
hear from my brothers
being alive for I was a
fraid he was gon and I hope
he will get his detail for
I never thought that
he cold stand Camps
tho I am Just like a dog
I can eat any thing and
wallow in the mud and
go on you rote that you
wanted me to rite whether
we had any tents or not
we have no tents a tall
Sam and me taken our old
blankets and put them
[page 3]
together and made us a
very good little tente we
draw meat and beef and rice
sugar and potatoes but not
a nuf to satisfy a man
[evry?] time a [????]
and not very of tain tho
that is no more than
we ar used to I hope that
I will som day bea promited
to cum home and go when I
pleasand eat what I can
get and enjoy the present
of friends I think we
will draw our money
in a fiew days and maby
will get to cum
tho it is unsetain
I wold like to bea with
you a cristmas but I
have to [???] it [o???]
[page 4]
tel your father tha
I am whiped now I giv it
up I do not think that
this war will more
than a month or too
til we will bea forced
to make pease I expct to
bea at home by the first
february I have giv up all hopes
of ever being a [fre pepel any?]
more tho if I can get home
I think tha we can live beter
than I am livin now tho
I take it all far and easy
til the time comes do the [best?]
you can for your self and
I will do the same and
if I draw any money I will
send you some as soon as
I can so i will close for
the presant W P Mangum
to L C Mangum