Greenvill May 18th 1863
My Dear Wife
I seat my self
this morning to write you a few
lines to let you know that I
am still in the land of the
living hoping when this wreaches
you it may find you in better
health I wrote to sister Ann
some days ago & sent by her
James Mitchel some more of my
cloathing two shirts two par
of draws two par of socacks
& one par of pants & one pound
of shugar I would of sent you
more but I could not get it I
will bring you some when I
come home tell Aunt Terresy
to wash up all of them things
of mine & put them away
untill I come home tell Seaf
I bought two white dogs to
[page 2]
Send him but Mr Mitchel
could not bring them with out
[???]ing them but I will bring
them when I come
We are exspecting Dr Peas back
to day I shall do all I can to
get him to lett me come hom
I suppose he has seen you &
knows your situation &
you sayed that if I did not come
soon that you was coming after
me you must not attempt that
you kneed not mind a bout
getting them shirts that I
wrote for I can work out very
well now I have two knew
shirts besides them that I sent
home if you have any use for
them you may cut them up
I exspect we will draw our
money to morrow that 25 Dollars
that sister Ann sent me you
[page 3]
Must pay it back to her
Tell Buck I heard bad news a bout
him I heard that he was courting
at the widows Grissom tell
him I say that times is too hard
to marry now Sister Ann
wrote me that you could not find
the plat of that land I put
in that leather pocket book
rapted up in a peace of wax
paper tell Buck I want him
to sell that land the first good
chance but get all he can for
it land is very high now but
if he can get 15 Dollars per acre
for it to lett it go & buy another
plase I must come to a close
for the present may the Lord
bless you is my pray
give my love to all the family
I remain your devoted housband
untill death J. A. Patton
write soon