Plymouth N C October the 16 1864
My Dear I seat my self to rite to you
I am not well my Self I was taken
with a cold last monday and was very
unwell until friday I wor[k]ed two much
a washing and was taken with a chill
about one oclock which lasted until nite
then a hot fever and head ache last
nite I had it again not so sever I hope I
shant have it aney more my mouth
is broke out in blisters very bad this
morning I am able to set up the children
is all well the baby walks all the time
now the neighbours is all well alfred
J has had chills ever since you left
until the last day or two Daniel
Harris last his son Robert his folks
has ben very sick I have had the peas
picked out of the house field and are a
geting in the corn I had to put the cows
in the field and they puled down so much
we had such an early frost we had no good
of the potatoe leaves on Sunday night the
[page 2]
4th of October we had a big frost it was
almost as cold as winter ice a plenty then
thursday after another them heffers they
was in the old fild I hardley know what
to do with them I had them turned out
an am afrade the Bear will catch them
we have picked up all the apples but
havent got all prest out yet I dident have
barrels but I sent the honey beer and
one barrel of cider to the still and have
got my barrels now I want to pres it this
week hadent I as well sell the honey
brandy I shal need my jugs and
what must I ask for it it wont do to put
in with the apple I have sold fourteen
bushels of apples to one of lieutenant
Hamptons men he came out saturday
after you left I let him have 8 bushels
[between lines] you told me you promist him at a doll[?]
at one doller and this week he come
again and got six and a half at 5
dollars a bushel I have taken of 8
bushels of grapes and had them prest
out abat a half barel of juice captain
Moss come with that soldier he advised
[page 3]
me to make my graphes into wine but
I couldent get nothing to put it in
I want to begin to press out my sugar
cane this week and have the rice cut cousin
penny wanted to buy a Shoat She
ses She talked to you about it and
you partley promist to let her have
one if you think it best to let her
have one what must I ask for it do you
think it best to sell aney of your
tobacco I have some chances to sell
some that sweet I thought you wanted
for your owne use the balance might
as well sell and what is it worth
the different qualites that sow that was
week in her back dont get aney better
I think she is with pig I have them
sows with the fattning hogs yet I
am afrade to turn them out for fear of
the bear it is so dry yet we have
a little rain once and while I receved
three letters from you one on monday the
10th and one thursday and one to day
[page 4]
I should of riten but I had no chance to
send it to town Wm Tomas boyd is
home now he got home the 8 of the month
he has 30 days furlow he has bin sick
ever since June with the bowel complaint
I never saw aney body so near wore
out in my life with hard ship it seemes
like he has seen and gone though with
so much his patience is finely worne
out I am afraid the boys will loose
that box for thomas left thar about the
time it got thar and he ses he dont know whar
zachary and Wm anteny was the Reggment
had gone to Richmond to fight he hasent
heard from them since I want you to
rite to me whar John L Bryan
is if you know or can find out for his
wife hasent heard a word from him
Since george Respess come home try and
find our for she is distressed about him
did you have aney examination at ralegh
raleigh or at the camp or did you try to
take an appeal on your detail
[page 5]
thar is another call the 21 and 22 for
conscrips in this County I recon the
balance will hear from thar details then
thar is nonews here northing but trouble
and looking for morre when the balance
is carred away you may well say not
grieve for you know I cant help it I make
the best of it I can the best is bad anogh
lonsome lonsome and desolate ooking
it seems like some body was dead
it seems like I like I would give aney
thing in this world to look our and See
you a coming but all my trouble dont
do aney good i know you must want
to hear from us all for it will be
quite three weeks before you get this
do you have to cook for your self
and wash for your self and did
you have to volenteer every body
[between the lines] if I hadent volenteerd I wouldent if I could help it
is ankisos to know it seems like
you are a very long ways from home
and I expect it will be very confining
but I hope it is the best place so you
[page 6]
can take care of your cloths and be
out of the weather and get aplenty
to eat I wish you had of carred your
over coat you will need it did you
See Harret Prier when you ware
at Tarborough John B Respess had
come from conference he ses they had
a very good meeting about 15 hundred
people do you have aney preaching
with you I must close by saying
I hope the lord will be with you and
guard and guide you in the right way
that you may meet with the best
of things in this world and be
prepared to go to heaven when you die
I want you to pray for me and I will
for you dont let evil company carry you
away to the things of this world
I hope we will meet agin in this world
but if we should not I want to meet
you in haven whar we wont have
to part aney more good by dear
rite to me and I will answer Ann L Bowen
them