Long Acre Washington Co December the 2nd , 64
Dear husband I receved your letter of the 15th
and 20th of Novem I receved the first on the 27
and second on the 30th and you spoke of one that
you sent to hunters brige I havent got yet
John oden ses Tankerd wont say aney thing
about one so I am agoing to have enquiry made
for it I hope I shal get it your letters come
to me in about ten day I am very glad that
I can get them as regalar as I do I sent Mr
Spruil letter by William to Arnold next
day and if he wishes to send aney more
I will forward them as quick as I can your
letters found us all well and it revives
me a great deal to get a letter and the
children two Mary Etter can run rite smart
and fast and trys to talk she has the
thrash it makes her fretful Henry Cleo
has spun most anof cotton to make me a
pair of lines and has lernt most all of his
letters Cornelia Ann and Olivia helped
us get in the potatoes and peas we had a nice
chance of potatoes the hogs has just got through
with the scraps and now I must give them corn
that white sow has got so she can walk again rite lately
[page 2]
I thought if I could get her fatten to eat I had
better kill her I have just taken the pigs from
the red sow she dident save but three they
are very trifling the black sow has got 4
she might have had more but she was in
the woods and she might of lost them I want
to shut up the young sow and try to save
hers the fattning hogs eats very well so
far they dont fatten northing extra I hope
you will get home time anof to help kill them
a little after old christmas [1] cousin peny
ses she sed something to you about a shoat I
rote to you about it I reckon you dident get it
she wanted one to fatten what would one be
worth in confederat mony the whiteaker heffer
has a calf she has a very nice larg bag the
red one two has a calf I think if they were fed
high they would be very good for milk I have
the corn in the new ground and the corn and
peas at the old place to get in I want to finish by
christmas we have rite smart of hinderance the
hogs to keep straw in the lot and cows and we
had some very cold weather about the 23 and 4th of
Novem thar has bin rain anoughf to start george
Boyds mill but not it is dry yet I have had
to grind at our mill I havent had but one bushel
and half of wheat ground since you left I lost a busel
[page 3]
and half of corn when plymouth fell I haved sowed
the wheat whar you told me I hope you will get
home time anouthf to advise me about next crop
I rote to you all about that box of things we sent
Thomas Wm antony rote to me to send him a
list of the things the box went safe but Thomas
deserted the day before it got thar and it was
broke open and the things taken because he
was gon antony ses all he got was five pair
of socks his and zachrys he thought by having
a list of the thing he could get the money for
them i sent him a list and I receved a letter
to day from him he ses he is agoing to rite to
you he ses zachary is at pettersburg provost
guard and was well when he heard from him
I rote to you to knowe if you k[n]owe whar John
Bayner went I reckon you diden get it he has
never rote home yet we heard since I rote that
to you that he went to the 32 regament to the
valleys of virginia and they had a fight soon
after and he was killed or taken prisner if
I new aney bodey in that regament I would
rite and try and find out his poor wife is
in a great deal of trouble about him if you
you can find our aney one in that regamet let me no
[page 4]
Thomas come home on saturday and come to
see me on wednesday monday and left his
granfathers on thursday and went rite to the
yankees hered when he come he had 30 days fur
low he has rote to gamery that he is at Newbern
and is agent on the rail road getting 40 dolars
a month I tel you farther is down on him
I am sorry he done it if you shoudent get
home a christmas I get william to rent
out the land how about the m[??] place rent
it all out or half of it John Bowen has
put his part of the corn in the barn and ses
he reckons he will tend some next year
tel george that Mary is well and the
children she has a large fat boy and if
she could get a letter every week or two she
would be very cherful she is getting along
first rate tel george oden I will speak a good
word for him to the girls because he speaks
of you and george in his letters every little
is great satisfaction I am glad he loves to
read his bible I hope it will make a christian
of him your farthers folks is well except
rodah she has her throat sweeld up my
farther and mother is well all the rest of the
neighbours is well gamery has moved they wer
well last week look on Cornelia letter for the
balanc
[page 5, the last two pages appear to be a continuation of the previous letter]
I thought I wouldent spoil another sheet as I was not quite done I would rite on this
the yankees dont stay at washington yet they have run up thar a
few times people dont think they will but think they will stay
at plymouth because the rivers is more valuable and can run
higher up they havent had aney trade yet at plymouth northing
to sell they will by things they trade at wasington I rote you
they were fortefieing at Leachvile I hear it isent so a great many
bufalows [2] familys is comeing back i expect it will be hard times
with them for something to eat a great many of thar childern is ded
John Respess rote to his mother his baby was dead William has
bin very good to me so fare Martha has had two letters from
langley he is in the 17 regament he ses they fare verry hard
he would swap his place with his dog he does have shuck stable to sleep in
i expect it plages you about your pillow you always like to have your head
high i wish you one from home and your over coat i was very glad you
sent me some postage stamps i had but one i began to think I should
have to quit riteng it uneased me it is the the cry with every body that wants to rite
[page 6] [3]
I have got along with my lonelines a little better than I expected and make your self as well
satisfied as you can about us I hope we shal be able to get along tel you get home I hope
that wont be long come if you can I havent heard of aney negroes going to the yan
kees since they come I hope we shal have the pleasure of Seeing each other soon I am
glad you have singing and prayer it will cheer you up and keep you bright if you
come by Washington for you to come
I dont think thar will be very little danger
good by Ann L Brown
I hope the Lord will give you all
such things as you need and perserve your life to get
home again and finely save us in his kingdom at last is my prayer

do you have to wash and cook for your self

if you want to rite to langley direct to Langley K Bowen co G hokes division kirkland
brigade 17 regament NC Troops near Richmond VA

rote the above little Ben Bowen
had bin to Mc grays with [????] he ses
that Wood House ses the yankees has left plymouth
I am afrade it is two good to be
so also the sourthern calvery
went down below
they some of them