August the 13th 1862
Dear wife I now take the opertunity of riting
you a few liens to inform you that I am well
at this time and I hope these few liens may
find you and the children all well I heant
much to right of much intrest but what I do
right I will try to tell you the trught as muth so
as i can I am her in about 3 miles of richmon
yet I and Ander cox and Sion Mcaley and Roberd 
Carpender [1] is to gether yet and Andrew Cox is not abel
to do any serves I went over to see the boys day
befor yesterday and they wer well Hardy [2] is getting
so he can be up and about agin Sence I have be
gun to rite this letter Hardy come over to se me
we live hard her we get bread aplenty Some
times we gete meat one time a day and Some
times 2 times a day and some times we get a
mess of rice but I daunt mind all of this
ef I node I cood gete home Safe and find you all
ding well I saw a Site yesterday that I never saw
before nor I never want to see no more I saw a man
Shot for deserting and trying to go to the yankes they
Shot 5 balls threw him the werd he sed is this I am
now on the field of execution you are going to see
abrave irishman di good by gentleme I hope the
lord will save my Sold out of this dusty body
every thing is high here molases is $1.25 per qt shogar
is one Dollar a lb chickens is gest featherd will fetch
one Dollar a lb peas 25 cts apples from 50. to 1.00
adozen warter milons from one Dollar to 3
Dollars a piece we Daunt no how long we will
Stay here the most of our men had to take one
march to melven hill sence we ben
here it was about 15 miles from her but
the yankes left and our men come back
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but we have orders to keep one days rashen
koocked a head now and ef we have to march we
daunt know wher we will go nun of the Solders
never noes wher they are going but I think this war
will end in before veary long I heant got no letter
from you yet and I daunt no wheather you will
get this or not it is a axedent to get a letter
her I shoud beglad to here from you and the
rest of the family I miss you vary bad indee and
ef god will permit us to meete agin I hope
we will live in pece and pleasur and give thanks
to god the balance of our days I want to no if
Mary Jane and Margret Ann [3] has forgot
me yet Eldredg Carter [4] told me that he beleave
he herd grand Mother Charter was ded afew
days before he left home I saw Henry Wade and
Jackson Matthews Sence I have been here I have
sene a heap of sory crops sence I left home
and after I past richmond I heant sene
nare thing a groing it is nuthing but a camp
yard and grave yard this side of richmond
Sion Mcaley seas tell Old Mr Howard
to Save me and him a big gug of Sidar twil
we get back and we will come to see him
my paper is vary bad and a bad place to
right and I will come to a close by Saying
right soon and tell me all about your little afears
direct your letters to Richmond V A the 3 regement
N C State troops nothing more onely
my love to you and my children and
hoping that god will be with you and
pertect you now and forever more Neill McLeod