Greenvill N.C
Aprel the 28 1863
Dear cosin
I take the lesure moments this
Evening to answer your essteem
Letter whitch came to hand the
25 instant your letter found me
well But not enjoying myself
Vary good for I have not had
the plesure of sheltering my self
under a tente cence I left home
we have Ben on a Tramp for to
monthes and we air on it yet and
No prospeck of getting of in short
We have not stop long enuf cence I
left home to pull of my clothes I
have got on the same I worn from
home We air just forriging about
to get somthing to eat we work
one day for what we eat next
and I am getting vary tiard of
it times is getting purty hard
I think this war will soon com
[page 2]
Com to a close for starvation is
Clost on hand the yankis ses
they are don fiting us on land
they are going to starve us out
it seams like they air don for they
air not making no movement
for it and I hope they are for I
think they have fout anuf when
We wair at Washington [1] they give
us the worst Bumming I ever saw
I thout our time had com But god
was with us all We had the hardes
hail the 24 night I ever saw the
sole was half chew [2] quarter
deep and it was as larg as the
end of my thumb we wair
lying out in a old field and
had to take it and it was a
Right tuff time we air lying
out at greenvill But you
May direck your letters to
kinston for I donte no whair
I shal go and that is the sure
ist place to get them
[page 3]
I want you to ask my folks why
they wont Right I have not heard
from them cence I left home I have
Nothing more of enny importance
To Right to you only I want to se
You all mity Bad wors than I did
Before I com home give my love
to uncle and ant tell them I
Want to se them mity Bad give
my love to ant celia and uncle
ned and ant pat and georg
and to all of the childring tell
them your [ant?] [3] Ben thinks he
will se them all again and
enjoying self as I have in time
past and gon But times is hard
hear harder than I ever thout
that I should se they give us
Branch water and gollop for
Brexfus dinner and supper
I have to Buy half I get to eat
and then go a half parished
But I hope the time is comming
[page 4]
When we will have a Better
day nothing more Right soon
and all of the news
Nothing more
only I Remain
Yours friend untwel
Death
Joseph J Cowand
To Winaford A Cowand