[added sideways in top margin]
send me a peace of sope soape to wash with

On the line Petersburg
Nove [??] [1864]
Dear father & famly
This morning aford me the
opotunity of writing to you by
which you will see I am well
hoping thes few lins may com
to you in due time & find you
all well & doing well thar
is no news her worth writing
times is quiret her only a little
sharpe shooting no telling
how long we will be quiret
for I supos Abe is relected
he may fite all the winter
the wether is very cold her
& we have orders to bild winter
quarters her on the line we
will go to bilding next weake
then we can injoy our Boxes
when we git them I hope
you will send me one by
the first chance you have
[page 2]
you can send eny thang to
eate for I can eate eny thang
you send when I am hongra
the box you sent me was
mity good the fruit was
mashed up the sweete bread
was so good & bigskets the
box was all good if I cood have
it to day I wood have a good
Dinner I have a nuff bread for
Dinner & then go without to
morro tell we draw agin
I hope I will git one by some
body soon I have lost all
hops of peace if old abe is
the president so we may
fit for 4 years longer
then what few is left
will have to stop
they may meck peace but
I haven eny hops of it
at this time
[page 3]
if a box come her for me
I wood love to know when it
wood come to this Deepe poo
for thar is so meny stolen
thar that Iam afraid they
wood git mine if the men
dont stop stealing boxes I will
have to tell on them & I hate to
do that for they wood do me
harm they knock down men
& take ther Box & money from
them they kill a heap of them
thar is a heap of danger in
passing thro the town
Iam a fraid to go thro the
place they nock them
Down with a ball of
lead they ar as same as a ball
I wont go by my self
I will have some body
with me I know the
Robers well or a part of
them one is in my
[page 4]
in the Batalion they ar
offul men as sho as you
ar born
Well I will close
hoping to her from you
soon as I haven got eny letters
since mose come I am looking
for one to [???] when the
male come
so no mor tell I her
from you I remain
you sun tell Deth
L. W. Griffin
I wood love to have
some mor apples for they
was so nice & so good
tell scot Iam mutch ablidg
for the [?] tobacco he sent
we ar a drwing to Bacco
both kinds smoking &
tho it is mity bad not
half as good as that you
sent Good by L W Griffin