Weldon, N.C.
March 17th 1864

My Dear Wife I Seat my Self
down this morning to let you now
that I am well at this time hoping
these lines may Reach your kind
hands and find you injoying the
Same blessings this is the first time
that I hav had the chance to Rite
to you in any satsfaction I hate to
Rite you the truth bit I must I
had to Sell my Raisor and my coat
to git Sumthing to eat and then
have to doo with out Sumthing to
half of my time when I got that
box that you Sent me I was
laying down and praying to my
god that I had Sumthing that
I could eat and tha was A box
Come and tha Said it was
the 49 Redgment and tha formi
t up and called James Poteet
[page 2]
he brokit it open and show the
gard that tha was no weapon in
it and then he fetched it in and
I got up and went and looked
on the lid and I told him that
it was my box I told him that
it was no harme
I doo hope and pray that this
Cruel war would come to a close
so that I could come home and
Stay with you till death but I
dont now when I will See you
all Again but if I live I think
that I will see you Again god
nows but I dont I want you to
Send sumthing to eat if you can
and send me sum unions if
you pleas for I think tha saved
life before if you hadant
sent them I could not eat
thing but when I eat [????]
[page 3]
I Rote you A letter yesterday but
I got to send this by hand to
morganton by James Poteet Wife
I cant send you such A letter by
male I haint Received no letter
you dated later than the 5 I
looked hard for one this week
but I dident git it I want you
to Rite every Week and I will
Rite when I can I cant Rite every
week if I could I would Rite
oftiner I cant git paper nor
invellopes with out money
god has blessed me to git paper
to Rite A letter if I live to git
out of the gard house I thing
that I can Rite when I please
but I cant hear I hope that
god will Bless you and my
littel Children till I git home
I want you to Rite whether
[page 4]
Johnthan Walker is at home
are not he has acted very
cleaver with you tell him that
I hope that god will bless
him for leting you have the land

A line are too to the Children
I want you to bee good to your
Mother and work as hard as
you can I want you to ciss the
littel children for me for I cant
ciss them now May god bless
and Save you all is my preyr for
Christ Sake.
I Reckin that you think that
I have for got you I dont want
you to think Such A thing About
Me for I think of you at any time
in the day F.M. Poteet to M.A.E. Poteet
I hope and pray that the Lord
Bless and Save you and my
children is my prayer for Crist Sake