C S Flag Ship Charlston S C
Decr 15 1864 My deare wife I take
the opertunity to rite you a few lines to let you
know that I am well at present and I hope these
few lines may find you all the Same I receaved
your letter of the 2th and cornelias and was very
much pleased to heare from you all and to heare
that you are all well & doing well & to heare the
yankeys has not botherd you and I pray to god evry
day to protect you from them and that is all that
to let you know
I can do I receaved your letter about John Baynon
and I answered it but you did not get it I suppose
he went to verginia but I dont no where I beleave
to the 34 reg but if he has bin kiled I have not seen
the account in the papers he may be a prisoner and if
he is he may be exchanged for they say thare is
a general exchange now thare has bin armistus
heare for a 11 or 12 days for the purpose of a exchange
ing prisoners and I rote you about that hog that
cousin penny wanted and I cant tel you what
to ask for him confederate money is worth a bout
fore dollars in one hundred that is 25 dollars is 1
dollar in silver and you and she must conclu
de on the price if she wants one and I rote to you
to let father take the colt and work him tel I come
home and I rote to him the same but I suppose he
never got it I receaved one letter fro sister Roda
and She did not say that they had got ary one
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and you tel william to rent out all of the mad
lett place and and one end of the ridge field
that is the best I no and if I dont get a furlow to com
home he must doe as he thinks best about them notes
the land rented for last yeare for he knowes the
termes of the sales that I was to take current money
and I rote to brother John M gurganwas about that
place on long ridge and if he did not get it I
want william to see him and no and tel him to atten
to it for me and I will satisfy him when I get home
for I dont know wheather I can get a furlow or not
now but I shal try before many days but thare
is some excite ment about shearmon and I cant
tel for we have not got on our boat yet she will be
ready in a few days I think I shal be glad when
we do get on her for we are so crowded up heare
we fare very well get aplenty to eat and that and that
is good ondley corn bread we have not had a mess
of corn bread since we left home and I dont want it
and we sleep negro fashion on a ledgeing it was
too hard for my bones at first but I have got use
to it now I and george sleeps to gether and maks
out first rate I would and mind it if I could be
at home with you and the children but I cant tel
when that will be but I hope it will be before
very long you had better kill that sow that was weak
in her back if you can get her fat anough and the
old red sow to you must all carry on your
buysness the best you can and I will advise
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for you as well as I can but it hant like
beaing thare my self but I hope the lord will
provide for us all and protect us thrue this
ware I should be very glad to see you all again
and all of the neighbors and will come as soon as
i can you may be sure you rote to no how my
head was and I rote to you the docter was a
going to cut it out but he gave me some thing
to squirt up my nose but that did not do any
good as I could tel but the doctor said he would
pool it out some time he makes out as if it hant
nothing much no how but it has not got no
worse since I left home I have Just eat dinner
and had fresh pork and potatoes for dinner
and a plenty of it we get better rashons then
the soalgers on land they say we have not bin expos
ed to the wather as yet and I have got close a
nough to keep me warm Cornelea I will get you
a brest pin if I can get a furlow if I can I have
not had to cook aney as yet but I have washed
rite smart and cant ceep clare of lise at that
hardley I cetch one now and then but I
dont like them a bit and tel Henry & olivia
& mary Etter that I will get them some candy when
i come home if I can find aney and they must
be smart and work away for I never lived
so lazy in all of my life be fore I shal
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get fat I recon if I keep well and dont
have no more to do then I have had as yet we
have a very good sargent and he puts all confide
nce in me and george if he wants a guard he
takes us and that is all we have to do as yet
ondley drill a little but we have not drilled
in two weeks now his name is S H Kerney he went
with us from camp homes and our first lutenant is
named Berry and he is a very fine man he is six
feet and a half high he is a big man we have
had some very warm weather last week but we had
two or three very cold days this week I rote a little
peace in georges letter that he sent last sunday to
you as i did not get one I expected to get one before
many days and I should have to answer it, george
sed to me to rite to you that he was well & george
oden sends his respects to you all you must rite
me as often as you can and give me the newes and
I will do the same for it is a great pleasure
to me to get a leter from home and heare that
you are all well and not bothered with the
yankeys I am sorry that thomas has done as he has
i must close by say ing that I hope the lord
may be with is all and cumfort and protect
us at all times in this life and save us all at
last in heaven is my prayers knight and day
So fare well your cincere Husband
untel death H. H. Bowen