Peters burg va Aug the 4 1862
Dear cosin I receive your
kind and effecton letter you may be
Well assure it brout to mind the fond
Remembrance of a kind cosin this letter leaves
Me enjoying good health hoping that theas
Few lines may find you enjoying good
Health I am yet a live and doing as well
As could be expectted but I want to
Com home and se you so bad I dont know
What to do but I dont know when I shal
Be able to do it o cosin I have ben on a hard
March ever cence last Wendsday and I am
knot able to wright you mutch for I am vary
Tired at this time o cosin I will tell you I
Lay in a line of battle last Friday nigth
Thursday and Thursday night in the rain
Expectting a fight every night minnet
And a bout midnigth our artilry commence
Firing on them and They Throwd Bums all
Around us and I tell you they shuck
the grown and I thought at that time I
Never should se you again the yankies
Are all around us and we expect a fight
Every day but I cant think the yankis will com
to us
[page 2]
O cousin you rote me you ware vary
Mutch upset in mind O cousin I will
Tell you make your self as contented
As you can for it wonte do enny good for
you to try to dy for god has so intended
For us ti be sippirated and we must
Make our self as happy as we can
O cosin I our blessed god will aid me
In coming home to se you all a gain
I think I am at work throwing
Up Brest works and shal be for severl
Days o cousin I will tell you Times
Are hard hear and dont seam to get
Enny better give uncle and Ant
My warmist respecks and all of
The childring Tell them all I would
Give enny Thing I got to se them
And Talk with them one time more
o cousin if I could se your sweete rosy
cheeks how happy I should feel o how
off Times I think of you when you are
abstance from me
[page 3]
1
They tell me That I must not love
That thou wilt spurn the free
And unbrought tenderness that gives
Its hidden wealth to give
2
It may be so I heed it not
When thus I am allowd to make
My hart a bankrup for thy sake
3
They tell me when the fleeting
of noveltry is over
Thou it turn away with careless brow
And think of me no more
4
It may be so enugh for me
If Sunday skies still smiles over thee
or I can trace when though art far
thy pathway like a distan star

Tell Miss Martha Jane Mc
That I love her and wright me
What she ses give love to ant cely and
Ant pat tell them I want to se
Them and keepe a double potion
[page 4]
for your self
yours turu
truly
Joseph J Cowand
truth love
honor
friend
ship
W A Cowand
Willy A Cowand
J J Cowan
J Cowan