[Joseph J. Cowand was killed on July 3, 1863 at the Battle of Gettysburg]

Fredericks Burg va
May the 31 1863
Dear cosin By the assistance and the
Divine Providence I seat my self
this morning to drop you a few lines
To inform you that I am well as
usal hoping when theas few lines
reaches you they may find you
and all of the family well I have no
Important news to Right you
at this time we have got to the valies
of va at last whair you have herd
so mutch talk of Being so Bad
a place I have not found nothing
so vary Bad hear yet only this
is a slaughter field hear I have ben
over some parts of it and I could find
A plenty of ded horses and men bured
together and it is awful to se I
never thout that I ever should see
[page 2]
enny thing like it in my life
We air getting along vary well
we get aplenty of something to eat
sutch as flower meat shugar Rice
and peas we get as mutch as I want
and as we can make eus of we dont
have no marching to do hear for
we air so near of the yankies we
can se them I had rather Be hear
than in Nc if it want for one
thing and that is we will surely
have to fight if the yankies comes
a cross the River and that I think
they will do But I trust in god
they wonte for they have Ben slaugh
ter e nuf don hear I think o cosin
you may Be well assure I was glad
to hear from you when I received
your last letter it gives me grate
[page 3]
plessure to hear from you all if I
cannot se you it donte seam as this
war will ever end for I think thare
is no end to it for times looks as
glumy as ever at this time I
cannot Right often to you all
so I want you to let my Mother
and all of the girles no the news
tell them I am getting along
finely at this time But they have
no ide how Bad I want to com hom
and se them all for I am so
tiard of this war I donte no what
to do cosen Willey I have Recieved
to of the sweetest letters from
my old duncy you ever Red in
your life I can dip them in my
tee and it will make it Right
Sweete I keepe them to sweeten
[page 4]
tee with for supper and
I let tom sweeten him som
to somtimes I will Bring my
short letter to a close give my
love to uncle and ant and
all of the childring and to
all of the neighbors and save
all you want for your self
Right soon Direck your letters
To Richmond Va 32 Red NC
troop in cear of Col Whyte
Daniels Brigade
yours truly
Joseph .J. Cowand
Winaford A Cowand