Camp Near librty..Miles. Va
Jan 17th 1864
My Dear and lovin wif and litle Jo
it is with
the Greates of love and plasure that I Seat my
Self this morning to drop you a few lines in
answer to your litter that you sent by
D C they was nothing on top of this Gran
Earth that Gave me nore sadesfaction than
to here from you an litle Jo I was Sory to
here that litle Jo was not well yete I was
Sory that she got burnt but I hope she
will git well in a short time if I could onley
See her wonse more I would give any thing
in this world Dear Poley you wrote in your
letter that you had Suferd a great deal of
uneasyness about me I rather you would
not let it run on your mind so mch as
that but my Dear I dont expect you can
help it I rather you could and you Seamed
to be vary uneasy a bout the witness that
was agansed me they was not any a gansed
me the Capten an he was not thare turn over
[page 2]
Dear Companion I taken haggaman [1]
for my witness my Self I herd him give in
his eveidense and I think he gave me justes
as neare as he could I think I would a come
Close if it had not to a bin for barber [2] he had
the punish ment put one me and if I live to
git out of this ware he will fare but midlen
I tell you My Deare my punischment has
not bin put on me yet but I am lookin for
it ever day I wrote to you what it was by liut
brown [3] my punischment was red out on 
dres perad the 6th of this instant to ware a
ball and chane 3 monthes and do polese dutey
4 ours each day and forfeite all pay that is
due me up to the last of febuary 1864 well
my Deare I dont Care a dam for the money
for it ant now cont now how but the other
is whate I dred and I dont dred it mch for I
dont think it is as much disoner to me as it
is to the wone that has it put on me I dont
intend to do any dutey while I ware it I will
See them in hell first and I tell you if they
put it one me I am done fiten that is shore
you can cratch that out
[page 3]
My Deare and lovin Wife and sweet litle Jo
I want you to write to me whather haggam did
write that home to his mamey or not and whather
She tole you that he would do all he could in my
faver or not I want you to mak your Self easy
as you can for I think I will be all write if I can
git to folkes regt with brother brother bill
dos not want to sell his filey from the way you
wrote you don just write with him about the
money let him do the best he can I am Glad my
Sheap has bin brot hom and you say they look
nise I am Glad to here it but my piges is all ded
from the way you wrote I am sory to here it but
them that has has to loose I am Glad all the
rest is doing well I was sory to here that your brest
was sore Dear wif I want you to tell moley
I am vary mch a blige to her for ansering
my littr and not asken me to the weden but
tell her I wousch her a long life and a hapey
won and all so mch joy I think it would a bin
as mch as she could ove don to asked her ant
I will Stop that I was sory to here of the deth of
Cosin James horton we all haft to go that way
[page 4]
My Dear Wif if just could see you
wonsed more and talk with you a while I
would be better Sadesfid than what I am
or if you nod what I want you to now
I hope that this wo and miserable ware will
Soon Come to a close I think it will stop by
fall or some altrations will be mad be
for long I hope the day is comin when you
and I will meat to part no more on this
earth and we will live as we intend doing
I hope when the day will come balles and
Stripes will bee shed and I tell you affenses
will fare but midlen well Poley I did not
git the brandey I got the leather and the jacket
and the aples and that is all I got I wousch the man
that Stole my leather in his ass red hot I want
you to tak good care of the rest you wrote in your
letter that you nod of Some fine lames that
Could bee bought for five dolars if you
Can git them for that go an bey them if
they are any kind of Sheep a tall they are
worth that and you go and by them and take
them home and take good Care of them if you git them

[“J. S. Councill” written at top of first and last pages]
[“M. A. Councill” written at top of second and third pages]