Camp near Kingston NC
November 3 1863

My Dear Wife and Children
was [????] the 29 of oct and
was glad to hear from you and
hear that you was better I
am well but not satsfied I
want you to tell Mr
to git up that paper and git
evry body to sine it that he
can and I will do all that
I can for him I left Weldon
Monday morning I your
letter thare I am at Kingston
I dident git any thing to eat
til Just now I Just thot that
I could not git thare dinner
Come to day about 4 clock you
dont know what I have to
stand you Rote Somthing Sis
I would love to see her and
all of the ballans of you but
[page 2]
Lord knows whether I ever
will are not Sumtimes I think
that I Will Runaway I would
like for you to Rite to me
about that tha is Eight ar ten
will Come With me any time
that I will you Rote to me
About the first letter that
I Rote I give it to the Surgent
And that is the last of
hit Mooney sent one at the
Same time and his wife dident
git it you said for me to
not Be oneasy about it I aint
oneasy anything only that I dont
now whether I ever will are not
but I think that I will See you
against Christmast I pray to the
lord every day and night
to Spare my life to Come
home and see you all again
I am about thirty five miles
nigher that when I was at
Weldon and I have crowst
[page 3]
the big Bridg back on this
side it is about forty feete
high from the watter and
about half mile long I dident
now how to cross it if I Runaway
Last night I Just lay out in the
open Old field you Rote that if
I could be at home to go with you
to the shucking that you would
be glad If I could I would give
Ever thing that I am worth
to be with you if I cant be with
you I pray that the Lord may
be with you and help you
as mutch as if I was with
[page 4]
tha could go noplace Els but
it tis alie for I Cant Come
You Rote that you wood Come
hear to see me if you was
abel I will Send you sum money
as soon as I git it I think that
we will draw in afew days
and then you Can Come and
see me if higgins Comes that
will be A good Chance for you
to Come with him and fetch
me a box of cakes and peaches
and sum good apels I dont
Git more than half nuff to
Eat I have Spent about ten
dollars for sumthing to eat
I giv one dollar for ten cents
cake I must come to Aclose
by saying that I Remain your
loving husband until Death I
could not git my letter it is
now Sunday and I had to
go on Dres parade we go on Dres parade
about sundown every evening