V A
Camp near Rappadan Station 1862
this the 22 of may
My dear wife I now Seat my Self to
answer your letter that I received
yesterday evening I was glad to hear from
you and to hear that you air well my dear
I am allso well at the present time and
I hope when theas few lines comes to
your hand they will find you and
my dear babe enjoying good health
my dear apart of your letter raised my
temper but my dear I hope to meet the
old frend Some of theas days and I will
talk it over with him I will fix all
things with him my dear wife I have
no news to rite for I cant hear no
news hear I cant get a paper to read
my dear you said you wanted to no
what cind of a drive[r] I am I am a
casone driver me and Daniel and [caisson]
William Crouse all three
[page 2]
drives at one carage it takes three
drivers to every gun and casone each
man too horse the casone never
goes into a fight unless the gun gets
out of amunishun my dear I have
draud a new team the other day I
draud too big bay horses the
finest horses I ever Saw in my
life they air as fat and as slick
as moles they costed the goverment
too thousand dollars and if I had
them at home I wold not take
five thousand my dear wife I will now
close by saying to you if I ever get tacon prisnor
I dont think I ever Shal come back for I am
not welcom at home I can Send for you and
and have you brought over in yan key
dom and then we can go to anuther nation
So no more at present rite
soon
John H Hartman to Partha L Hartman

[added at top of page]
Back your letter to richmond
in care of cpt James reily Va