Plymouth Wa Co October the 21st 1864
Dear husband I love to hear from
you very often as often as every week
if possible so I will rite often
I am better than I was when I
rote before I had five chills before
I could brake them I never had my
mouth broke out with blisters as
bad but twice before in my life
my caulf plages me yet and I am
very week I havent bin able to be
out much in a week the children
is all well and the negroes the baby
todles about all day only takes two
little naps I made her a pair of
shoes and she can walk first
rate in them she is just gone to
sleep Henry Cleophus [1] ses he would
be glad if par could would come
back if he could he knows you
cant and the poor little fellow
appears to be resigned to it
[page 2]
Cornelia and Olivia appears
to be satas fide better than I could
expect Olivia ses they may say
conscript it dont scar her now they have
got pa the neighbours is all well
I rote to you that Mary E Bowen [2]
had a fine sone tel george she is
rite smart they sent for cousin
nelly but she was at tom allens
he was sick but the baby was
born by the time ellen got to our
house your mother and Jose oden
was thar I told you they were all wel
I forgot John Bowen he is sick the
have shifted the old men about part
stay home one week and part another
John has bin home two weeks since
you left he is sick all the time
Just abot I havent seen nor heard from
wyriott folks since you left had
I better have that old Rye
patch harred over or not I comenced
my sugar cane and Soloman
[page 3]
sed he went to take some of it around
to put it through again and it caught
in the mill a large piece and split
the bottom piece that holds the
rolers so william took a load of his
and ours and went to Alfred
garland and presst out before
dinner they put in our mule and
she got contrary and wouldent pull
and willem sed he recon he gave her
one hundred and fifty lashes before
he could make her pull so we dident
get but half of the load presst out
that was thursday and to dy I had
to send to the old place to get
a load of apples and had the rice
cut I am going to get Abisha to carry
a load to town saturday Il try on
the cane again on monday Saturday
the 22 all the men is to meet
at that school house for another
[page 4]
examination it is thought every body
will have to go they say no details aint
no account they have a new enroling
officer worthen has gone home and van
hook is at plymouth now and star
is at washington about a fortnight
agoe they thought they were agoing
to have a fight at plymouth news
come that thar was 30 boats in
the mouth of the river every thing
was readdy for a fight but it was
ent so it got up some how the men
was caled out in beaufort the 20th
but I havent heard what they have
done I will rite again when I find out
what they do rite very often I must
come to a close tel me who of your aquaintence
is with you I hope the lord will be with
you and me and guide us throug this world
finely save us in the world to come
this is friday night ten oclock Ann L Bowen
your effectionate wife til death
good night