Mc dowell Co Oct 6th 1864

Dear husband I seat My self
this Morning to write you a few
lines to let you know that we are
not well I aint well My self and
the children aint well Francis Emmer
is very low with the flux and the
baby is very sick I dont know
what ails her I recieved your kind
letter that was dated the 25 of Sept
last Saturday and was glad to hear
from you once moor and hear that
you was still alive I hav wrote evry
week but one I sent a letter by Louis
Walker and one by Herksy and
paper to write two letters the
Assosiation has past over there
was 14 or 15 preachers there your couisen
bob Moody was there he preached
on sunday it rained so Much that
they dident hav Much of a
assosiation it has raind nearly
all the time for 3 weeks it is raining
now there is a power of fodder lost
I hav saved the crib full of fodder
I dont know what I am to do some
boddy is stealing the corn out of the
field and stealing My sweet potatoes
after I Me and the children has
worked so hard to Make somthing
to live on I want you to keep trying
to get a furlow tell them that your family
is down with the Measels and flux
and there aint nobody to gather the
corn and I will hav to moove and
they Must let you come and Moove
Me I haint got no peas & beans picked
yet and if we dont get well & it dont
quit raining I wont save seed I hav
had to go in the rain so Much I so much
to do that I dont see a well day My
grief and troubles is Moor than I
can bear if you dont get to come
I dont know what will become
of Me and the children
my pen is so bad I cant write and
[page 2]
My heart is so full I cant think
of what I ought to oh God have
Mercy on My husband and children
and my self Spar our lives to meet
in this world once moor the 12th day
of this Month is a year that we hav
bin parted and it seems all most
a life time do the best you can keep
out of them fights as much as you can
and if you can get a furlow come
home if you plase but if you cant
get a furlow you cant do me any
good to come but it would do me
harm you know if I was able and
the children was well I would come
to see you if I had to beg My way to
you I would tell you Moor that I can
write some times I feel like you will
get to come home the one that told
your forchen says that you will get
to come before you get well but if
they Miss it as bad as you sed they
did about the other it wont be the
truth Brother Thomas is alittle better
I wish you could bring some of that
tobacco home with you I think it is
very Mean that they dont let you
come if you was a rich mans son
you could come Marion Higgins has
bin at home a Month and he looks
well Thomas Satterwhit & Willie
Grason has ben at home on a sick
furlow if you dont get home soon I
will send you a pare of socks by
bob Mooney
friday Morning 7th the children aint
no better I think susannah George
Pinkney is taking flux Mary [?las?]
is very low with the flux the flux
followers the Measels I hope when
I write again they will be better
I hop the Lord will bless you and
Shield you from harm and danger
and spar your life to get home soon
M. A. E. Poteet to My husband F. M. Poteet