PetersBurg Va July 5th 1864

Dear Wife and Children I Seat
my Self this evning to Rite
you a few lines to let you
now that I am well at this
time hoping that these lines
may Reach your kind hands
and fine you injoying the
same blessing you Rote to
that you would like to hear
from me and now whether
I was killed are not I
can in form you that I
am spared yet by the good
will of god we have bin
in the brest works about
one Month we are in them
yet and I dont now when
we will git out soon are
not tha are fighting every
day we have lost killed and
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wounded in this Company
6 men 2 killed 4 wounded
it Seems like god is on
our Side the balls tha whistle
by our eares you Rote that
it Rained Somutch that you
Could not git to work your
corn it haint Rained to say
Rain in 6 weeks hear &
gardens is Runing hear it tis
mighty hot hear if this fight
Comes of Soon and this Company
lives and dont git wounded
nor killed tha are coming
home you Rote to me to Come home
and save the wheat I cant
Come I would like to Come
home and See you all once
more in this life and See my
Sweete littel baby I doo hope
and pray to god to live to
[page 3]
git home to See it it seemes
like god has blessed every
thing that I have prayed
for and I doo hope that he
will bless me to live to git
home to See that littel
when I think of hit it seems
like it will kill me are
Brake my hart you Rote to
me that you had a mess
of potatoes the Sixteenth I
want you to tell mother
houdy for me and tell
her that I am well I have
to Rite so fast that I dont
now whether you can Read
this litter are not I haint
Slep one good night Sleepe
in two month I have to work
are Stand gard are picket
every night I am very nigh
[page 4]
broken down it Seems like
god has bin with me are
I could not Stoo up to hit
I want you to pray for me
and tell all of my friends
to pray for me I pray for
you and my littel Children
to Spare your lives and Sustain
you and thim in this life
I want you to Rite as soon
as this Comes to hand and
Rite me all of the newse
I have Seen Corn as high
as I could Reach you Rote
that your Corn looked very
well and your sweete potatoes
looked very well you dident
Rite whether you had planted
any tobaco are not fare well
Dear wife F.M. Poteet to his
loving Wife M.A.E. Poteet god
bless you is my prayer