N C Mc dowell Co thursday
January 21 1864

My Dear husband I recieved your
kind letter last satturday and
I was glad to hear that you was
well I cant write we are all well
we all hav bad colds I hav had a
pain in my head three weeks and
the baby is sick and I dont think
it will live long but I do hope
this May Reach your kind hands and
find you well I would write you
some about My self but I cant
let evry Man read what I would
be willing for you to read
you want to know about the hogs
I got Mr Walker and Johnathan the
next day to kill them
I dont know about Ashville John
Cowen and others was detailed to
hall their provision back out of the
way of the yankeys and they say
the yankeys can come hear in a
day and a half John Carson and
Ranz Mitchel and his brother
is going about taking up paroled men
and men with furlows they taken
John Waren last Teusday and put
him in Jail And Al Taylor but let
him loos a few days the men fom
18 to 50 has to go to the Armey in a short
time and the Men fom 16 to 60
has to be home gard and negres
to be men
[page 2]
this is three letters I hav wrote you
I went to the cross Roads last
Saturday and got two dollars worth
salt and Sunday Night some body
stold about half of it and about
a half bushel of beans and they
hav taken a heap of my corn
what I am to do I dont know
I thought wen a man went back
with with in themselves they did
not put them in the gard house
but George Taylor told he tuck
you up and is to get thirty Dollars
of your wages and I expect that
is the of you being punished
it is Just one Month today sins
our little son died and I dont
think they ought to blame you
for coming home to see him Die
but I do hope that God will be
with you and bless you and save
fom all harm I hope the war will
stop and you can come home in peace
Sally Hendley had a fine son thursday
lat I want you to do the best
you can and serve the Lord and
if we Meet no moor in this world
Ihope we will Meet in heaven
to part to moor May the Lord bless
save you is my prayer for Christ
sake write soon and often farwell
Martha A. E. Poteet to her loving
husband Francis M. Poteet
God bless you my husband