Camp ner Caraline City N C Dec the 31 1864
Dear father and mother
I seat my self to drop you A few
lines to inform you of my helth and
that is good at this time and I hope
theas few lines ma reatch you in
the same good helth hit has Ben
sum time since I have hird from
you and I wold Be more than glad
to her from you I have hird from
the plymouth Boys lieutenant
Mastris [1] has come Back and he ses that
the Boys is all ded But 2 and I dont
no hoo thair air I hird that A[??] [2] wors
ded and Oncul ned rice wors ded [3] and
all the rest I will come home as soon
as I can get the chance and I hope that
will not Be long Before I come come
home and stay I want you to write
to me as soon as you can and write
me all the news if you will send
A leter to Plymouth I shal get hit
now I will come to A close By
saing I remand your dear sun untell
[page 2]
deth so fair well untell I her from you
A gane James R Cowand
to Starkey Cowand

Dear sister I will drop you
A few lines as I have got the chance
to write to you one more time to inform
you of my helth and that is good at
this time and I hope theas few lines
ma reatch you in the Same good helth
Give my love to ant sealey and ant Martha
and to Jo Joseph and frank and to ant liley
and uncal James and too Joseph and I want
you to to write to me as soon as you
can for I want to her from you as Bad
as I can sister I want to see you as Bad as I
can and I want you to write to me as soon
as you can uncal george taylor is well
and oncal henry Myres is well
now I will come to A close By saing
I remand yore dear Brother untell deth
So fair well untill I her from you A
gane James R Cowand
To Winerforld A Cowand