June the 16 1864

My Dear husband

I seat My self this evening
to write you a few lines to let
you know how we are Some
of us is not well me and Thomas
Francis Emer Susannah Amy Jane
has the bowell complaint I aint
Much sick but I do hope these few
lines May Reach your kind hands
and find you in good health
My corn looks very well Thomas
will finish plowing it the second
time today we hav this side the
Creek to hoe My Neighbours says
that if nothing happens I will
Make a heap of Corn the sweet
potatoes is very prety and the
irish potatoes is the pretyest I ever
seen I hav a mess today I wish you
was hear to eat some with me I would
be so glad I would not know how
to behave I hav to live very hard
I haint nothing Much to eat but bread
and not Much of that if you was hear
I would not hav to live so hard nor
Iwoudent hav to work when I was not
able My baby will be 4 weeks old Saturday
Night she was born the 21 of May
write to Me what to name her
I had the best time I ever had and
I hav bin the stoutest ever sens I
haint lay in bed in day time in
two Weeks today I thank the Lord
that he has answerd your prayers
and mine beyon what I could expected
but he has all power I feel very
thankfull that it is as well with
you as what it is I hope that God will
bless us to be spared to rais our children
your Mother is well her and Jemima
Come to see me yesterday Grason
Dickson run away and got to Camp
Vance and had to go back I dont
want you to vote for vance vote
[page 2]
for Holden vance is to be in
Marion next Monday to speak
James Neal has bought 500 bushels
of corn for this County but it haint
come yet and he says that when they
eat it they may die and go to hell
Louis Walker and Tery Walker is at
home wounded – your Mother says tell you
howdy for her and the children sends you
howdy and tell you that they hav to
work very hard and wishes you was
hear to help them [??????????????????????]
this evening I would like to hear
from you to know if you hav got
hurt I am very uneasy about you
I do hope and pray that God will shield
you from all harm and danger and
spar your life to come home to me and
your little children I know that you
want to see your sweet little baby
I would be very glad to see you if
I could but I cant nor I dont know
whether I ever will or not God knows
I dont you dont know what a hard
time I hav I am ruined if you dont never
come home I cant work another year
as hard as I hav this if the children
was not as good as they are I dont know
what I would do the Lord has blessed
us and I hope he will continue to bless
us while we are separated and bring
us together agin in this life
pray for us my Dear that we dont
perish thread is 100 dollars Cotten is
two dollars apound I dont know what
I am to do but I will do the best I can
and trust in God for help all of our
help comes from him
write to me soon wen I can hear fom you
and hear that you are well it dos me
a heap of good May the lord bless and
save you is the prayer of your desolate
Wife farwell my Dear husband
M. A. E. Poteet to her loving husband
F. M. Poteet God bless and save you