Washington Co December the 26 1864
My dear I will rite you a few lines to let
you know how we are we are all well but I
have a run round [1] on my rite thum that 
prevents me from sewing or nitting and
I dont know how long it will last it bothers
me rite smart about my work also I went
to bring in a stick of wood out of the piza [2]
in the dark thar was several sticks piled
up and one about six inches through rolled
down on my big toe and mashed it bad
that was friday night this is monday and
I havent bin able to wear my shoe up
at the heel since I never was hurt worse
but it is geting better your fathers folks
is well and williams and Martha
and her children and my fathers folks
and all the neighbours generly Mary
E and her children is well she has a larg
fine boy he grows fast I havent receved
no letter from you only the piece you put
in gorges since the one dated the 30 of Nove
you sed you had rote the week before but I
havent got it I am expecting one every day
the time seems very long since I have got one
[page 2, strip of paper at top of page has been cut off]
I havent rote sence the 14th the time for me
to rite was so near to christmas I though I would
wate til then perhaps you might come home
but I must not wait aney longer I no you will
want to hear from home christmas has come
and you are absent I shal look for you afew
days longer and give you our this time I was
in hopes you would come for it revived me
to think of your being here with me again
every little noise I would think I heard you
in the piza and I no you are more disapointed
than I am for it has bin your expectation
all the time to come a christmas I no it is
a dull time with you but my dear we will
console our selves the best we can and live in
hopes that theas times will end and we
will be permitted to see each other and
live to gether again Mary Etter can run
rite smart and fast and trys to talk she
has got better of the thrash but her mouth
is not well yet she is a sweet little thing
Henry Cleophus has learnt all his letters
and is spelling in his abs [3] I think he would learn
fast
[page 3, missing top of page]
william will rent out the land the 31st of a dec
we thought perhaps you might get home by
that time george Allen has got home he come
the 14 of decem some say he got clear on acount
of his toe and some say the company was
disbanded I have seen him onece I dident
aske him northing about it for I thought I new
how he got clear he sliped he was at willmington
I wish the balance of you was home I dont
want you to run away but I wish you were
back hom to stay the yankees hasent bin
here to disturb me yet and I hope they wont
they have bin to william L Bowens about
a week ago hunting Brandy they searched
every whar in all of his houses but dident
take aney thing I expect the reason they come
thar Eliphelet gurganes has got a still and
they found it out and they come out thar
to get brandy and some boddy reported wm
to have some they returned some of the horses
that hey took John dardens and Airses and
some others that wasent much account I heard
[page 4]
they had taken a battery of six guns at poppler [4]
point below rainbow banks I also hear that the
yankees say the sharp shooters is playing
the mischief with thar men I hear they
have got below thar boats and yesterday
thar was some of the heavest guns about
James ville I ever heard I reckon they were
tring to bum them away thar went up more
force friday they are agoing to try rain bow
banks thar aim is to get the railroad I
truly hope and pray they wount do it they
tore up and destroyed a great many people
when they went up about a fortnight ago the
rebs had put a great many torpeders in the
river and it tore up one boat and some barges
and a transport it made them so made they try
to get recompense our of the citezens I have heard
several time they took every thing your aunt
fanny had they took old asa and kept him a weak
they threw one nife back at her and sed that
was all she should have and dident leave
her a mouthful to eat and took a great deal
from old man bily gray old man tom armsted
was thar they took the last pair of breaches he
had he had to send to old man asa johnsons before he could get
off the bed and
[page 5]
they burnt up Jess Stulls barn with three hundred barrels
of corn and went to a great many peoples houses looking
for brandy I have a hope as they find our thar isent aney
in this neghbour hood they wount bother our this way I got william
to carry mine to gomerys and get him to take care of it for me
untel I could do somthing withit I expect I shal have to sel it for I
am afraid to keep it at home and some boddy may steal it thar I
thought farther wouldent want to be plagued with it I havent bin
to farthers but once since you left I am afraid to leave home that far
I gave soloman and Jane 12 dollars apice in state money and told
them what you told me to I dont think they will go to the yankees not yet but
thar is rite smart of difference since the yankees come they feel freer but
they do rite smart they have got in all the corn and kept wood a
nofe and straw for the hogs and as soon as cristmas is over we must
begin on next year crop I want you to tel me how and which pieces to
tend and how to plow it thar was 74 loads of corn in the shuck and 8 of
John Bowen I shant kill the hogs yet for they aint fat anoughf yet
they have eat well all the time and I had them attended to as good as I
could we have had some very cold weather
and rain anoughf to start oracls
mill at last it begins to be rite smart
and wet it is all quiet in beaufort
and hyde the yankees goes to a
Kinston every week but dont stay
trading [upside down] Men
[page 6, written over an old letter]
come home as soon you can my dear for I have not forgoten you for it
is my daily study to think of you and think and feel how glad I should
be to see you martha had a letter from langley dated the 12 of Dece
he was well then and at the same place I reckon you will think I am pushed
for paper but I rite a sheet and aint quite done and I thought it would not
make aney diference with you it would save some paper I want to make
it go as far as possible I expect to rite every week as long I can get postage
stamps and paper and a chance to send them ther is a little more than that
keg ful of brandy I have had six barrels of cider stilled and half
barrel of grape and half barel of beer but som of them dident make much beat
out of all them rotten apples and kept in the pumis two long it lost its
strength I have to say but little and let them do as they pleas about squeasing it out
I think it is better to have a little done than northing I hope we shal be able to
get along I do try to do the best I can I hear Jeff daves is dead I hope stephens will
make peace
I must close by saying I hope you will get home to stay soon I hope the lord will
give you all things you need for this life and perserve you to get home again to
stay and finely save us in his kingdom
is the prayers of your effctionate wife
good by my dear Ann L. Bowen
finished tuesday morning eleven o
clock the baby is a sleep now