[Peter Poteet (b. ca. 1822) was a Burke County, NC farmer. He served early in the war in the 1st North Carolina Infantry, a 6-month regiment]

the
July 16, 1861
My Dear brother I am happy
to inform you that I am still
spared to the present time to drop
you a few more lines to let you
know that I am Well and I
Do hope that these few lines may
Reach you and find you all
Injoin good helth for I find that
It is one of the greatest Blessings
that We Can injoy on this earth
I Was happy to receive your kind
letter today for it dose me somutch
good to here from eny of my
People in this troublesum place
Whene I study so mutch it appears
To me that I Cant stand it some
times But yet I do hope & pray
that I may live to git home
[page2]
Again But it is doutfel
About that I have escaped
thousands of balls onst But the
next Battle may take thousands
of us there is no telling about
that We ar expecting A fearful
Battle at this place every day and
When it dose Come off it Will be
one that Will be long remembered
By them that escapes But We ar
Well prepared for it and at work
Every day you said somthing about
our battle being at harpers ferry
hit was 15 miles below here
At aplace cald bethel Church
they was meny Balls Went into
the meting house our old Colonel
Was in all of the mexicin War
And he says that he never saw
such abattle in his travels
[page 3]
they ar fiting about here every
day or two I got aletter from henry poteet
a day or two ago and it was
Amity good letter I am glad to here
from you all & here that all of
you ar praying for me and for all
I Want you to give all of the nabors
my best love & respects tell my
Pore old mother howdy for me
And perhaps farewell for this
May be the last letter that I
ever May have the Chance of riting
to eny of you my feelings Was
Mortyfide & the tears Brock from
My eyes When I Was reding
your letter & Come to When it told
Me of the death of Mr Suttle for
I thought more of him than any
Man that I ever saw in all
of my travels But if I Can go
[page 4]
Just as I think he Went
I think that I Would go happy
there is a pour of sickness here at
this time and agreate many
Deaths We haint lost many men
out of our Company yet and
I hope that We will all live
to git home again Rite to me
Assone as this Comes to hand
And dyrect your letter to the
Same place that you did the
other so nothing more at
present only Remanes your
affectent Brother till Death
Peter Poteet to F. M. Poteet
And family and Mother
Brothers & Cister
May the Lord bles & save
us all is my Prays amen