Camp near Rapadan
December the 13..1863
Dear wife I Seat my Self
this morning with pleasure to
let you now that I am well
at this time and Sincerely
hope when those few lines
Comes to hand they will
find you all in the Sam Sta
of health Dear wife I Can
State to you that I have
Seed hard time Since I left
you we ar Stil in the gard
hous yet and I dont know
When we will get out I
think the gard hous will
be our punishment we may
be cort marsheld I dont now
Dear wife the times is
hard and it still Seems
to get harder So turn over
[page 2]
Dear wife I can inform you
that I receivd two kind leters
from you the other day and
was glad to hear that you
was all well Dear wife
you Stated in your leter that
you was going to leave [?] Coon
miller got too hard for you
you Stated that you was
going to bild at the new
botom I am sorry to think
how wiman has to do theas
times they have hard
times I would like to now
What is the reason you
dident pick your plase at
at the quary whare there
was a hous I think you
will have an on handy
plase to Stay at
[page 3]

[the first few lines of the page are torn off]
I leave without permishen I
Have seed hard times since I
left home I have Suferd for
Something to Eat and for tobaco
and very often for water but I
think the time Is Comin Soon
that the Eyes of those will be
Will be open when it is to late
Dear wife I would rite A grate
Many things but it dont Soot
at this time our leters is broke
open and red I cant rite to
do much good til I get out of
this Scrape I will let you now
all about it in A Short time
[page 4]
[missing several lines at the top of the page]
Rite I dont See any good in the
War to rite about but I hope
and trust that I may See the
Close of this war to ingoy my
self with you all once more
so I must come to a close buy
[a???in] yo to rite Soon and not
fail I would like to see you
all but that is imposobel we
Can hear from Each other
tel Larrance and jonus and jimmy
I want them to be good boys
So I remain your absent husband
til death Marcus Hefner
to Kizia Hefner