richmond VA
June 3 1862
dear wife i take my pen in
my hand to let you now that
i am well hopen when thes
fue linds Comes to hand may
find you all well i Can tell
you that we wos march up
to the eage of the batel feal
bout when i got dire tha
was Abote stopen firen i
and i march back A bote
too miles and [????] i stade
all night and than the next
day i went back to tone
And i tuck the steme boat
and went done the river
Abote seven miles tha [neve?]
got the Canion planted all
A long the river bank
i dont think that the
yankes can git to us hire
[page 2]
butt V [1] er looken for
them ever minit V er redey
for them at eny time
i never node what harde
times was tel now V er
giten fore Crackers A day
you may [??]s how i live
i dont think that dis
ware Can holde long if
it does we will all peres
i Cant rite hafe to you
what i have saw if i Cood
see you i cood tell you more
in one day and i Can rite
to you in A week but
i dont now when i will
git to see you i have jined
the lucen Churtes [2] and I
am dooen beter and i
hope that you er dooen so
too and if i never meet
[page 3]
in dis world i hope
that V will meet in A
beter world i have not
resevd no leter since
buck com i wont to now
if you got my leter
i have rote to and i
have got nun i w wont
you to rite to my mey
i wond to hear frum you
one time more i dont
now how sune i will git
in A batel and i dont
now if i will git thru
safe er not but i hope
and trust to the lord
and Jeses Criste to save
mey i heard that
markis th huit sade that
i went in tell the hucker
hoses [3] and if he sade that
[page 4]
he is A lier ever time
that he tels that [??]n
tell you that i think for my
self A bot dat i think
more of my self and to
doo the like of that i
did not Come hire fore the
like of that i hope that you
wont beliv him for you now
that he will tell lies so
i must Come to aClose remember
youer dear husbun on tell
deth i hope you will doo that
direct yoer leter to Pre[???] PO
in chesterfield Countey
in the state of V A
W P Cline to mary C Cline
i will send you A song
balet [ink blot] leter