Manassas. v. a february. 1st. 1862
Nancy I
recievd your leter yesterd and was
glad to hear that you was well
your leter found me engoin
good health I am sory that
I havent any thing new or
interetin to write I will write
somthing a bout the weather
it is very rough and has been
for som time and it seemes
like it will continue so for
it is raining and sleating and
som snow accasionaly and the
mud is from shoo top to knee
deep I hav been cooking this
week and will bee through
to morrow night you can tel
the girls that they had beter
wait for me becaus I can bee
a great atvantage to in the cooking
[page 2]
line and also in sewing for I
hav a greatdeal of it to do but
I get others to do my washing
but I recon I l take to doing
that my self for it is getin
so high it is ten cts a garmt
tel marts salley litle did I
think of her getin maried
untel I had been gon twelve
months but if that is her
notion of cours I hav no obge
ctions but I realy do think
that she could av got a beter
looking man than the one
she is a goin to get I know
that she could if she had iv
waited untel the war was
over tel her that I am much
ablige to her for asking me
to the wedin but I am sory
that I cant com but I think
that I will bee at one you
[page 3]
mentioned tel Buley that I
think maby I will bee at
her wedin if she isent in
too big a hurry tel her to
not get mared untel the war
is over for fear they coms
a drafft and they take her
old man tel her that is my
advise to all the young
girls the reason I do this is
becous I am a fraid they
will all get maried before
I get back and I bee left
a lone with out a wife
tel Marts John that he
ma go to see margret but
he musent say any thing
to Elizabeth unless he
talkes for me tel Mr Ellis
girls that I fear they will
all bee maried befor we
get home for I understand
[page 4]
that the naybors are flying
a round and I think they
suit very well. a few lines
to Jimey and that is this that
if a man falls down in
the mud here he is a goner
unless he gets help amedi
ately tel him that I would
like to see him and tel him
all a bout the state of virgina
an manassas but I recon Bill
Taylor told him a nough to
keepe him from wanten to com
to see ous giv him my love
and respects I will close by
saing to you to content your
self a few more years and
the war will bee over and
then we will all com home
I hope this to you from H. H. Hanes
to Nancy Williams

Harrison Hanes to Nancy Williams