Washington Co N C December the 14, 1864
Dear husband I receved your letter of the
30 yesterday and was much revived to get
it for I began to think long of the time for
it had been a fortnight since I had
a late letter I receved the one you
sent in care of horace oden i was very
glad to get those postage stanps you
sent me I hope you will continue to
send me some for I have not succe
ded to buy none yet I have bin try
ing but they say thar aint none in
tarborough and if I cant get them
from you I cant rite to you yours
found us all up about Cornelia
Ann has a sore throat something like
the quinsey but she is not bad off
withit and Mary Etter has the
thrash and it broke out on her
chin and has bin the worst to cure
I ever had a baby she has bin bad off
with it a fortnight not so very bad
in her mouth but her chin has bin
so sore she is some better to day I
think it is getting better I hope will soon be well
[page 2]
the rest of us is well thank the lord I
am as helthy at this time as I ever am
I had one cold not long after you left made
me very sick but since I got over that
I have bin well martha and her
children is well she hasent got nobody
to stay with her yet John oden is up
here now but he cant stay with her
all the time William folks is well
and your fathers and the rest of the
neighbours tel georg that Mary is
well and the children she hasent
bin no futher from home than you
father since he left and ses she dont expect
to til he comes home I havent heard no
correct newes to tel you what the
yankees is doing they went up the
river last friday and I heard they
had a skirmish at garderners brig
also at Ralses mill took some Rebs
and killed one I dont no as it is correct
I hear guns every day up the river
[page 3, top two or three lines cut off]
some say they carred up 15 hundred
infant[ry] some say more and a company of calvery
and seven boats I heard they were
throwing up breast works at James
ville they have taken all the guns of
the forts at plymouth that what it
started from that they wer going to leave
some body saw them putting the guns
aboard the boats gen Butler ses they
must extend thar lines futher if they
cant go far they must go as far as they
can it is thought they will try to make
thar way to welden i hope they wont
get the rail road for it will be good by to he
aring from you if they do I hope you will be on
this side of thar lines when that happens
I dont hear of thar doing aney thing in
beaufort or hyde at this time John Jorden
hasent sent me that letter you sent by
him I expected he had one for me so much
so I got marth to go to white plains to see him
but he wasent thar
[page 4]
old man gurganes has bin very sick he
is alittle better he has the hemerag of the bowels
one day george Ginnet come to asa allens
some boddy went thar and broke out
every winder lite in the house and
stold his leather and sinet has moved
away thars nobody living thar now some
body went to Langlys and killed
Wyriott Irmond bees with matches and
and took out the honey and left the gums
and carred a cart thar two to get it
that was done this week they dident trouble martha
5 or 6 weeks ago they stold Wm L Bowens leather
and tom allens every bit i was a thinking it
it was hardley worth while to rite if you
were coming home you wouldent get it but
perhaps you may not and you might
think long of the time and i hope how it is to no hear
from you so I shal keep riting and my dear
come if you can for we have not forgot you
for it is the last thing at night and first
thing in the morning is to think of you
and how glad I shoud be to see you pleas
back yours Mrs Henry H Bowen may the lord
bles us and cause us to meet agin A L Bowen