N C Mcdowell Co

Dear husband Nov 24th 1864
I Seat My self this eavning to write
you a few lines to let you know that
we are still in the land of the living
I aint very well the children is
well excepting bad colds but I do
hope these few lines will Reach your
kind hands and find you well
I hav got my corn gathered and wheat
Sowed I sowed the upper field in wheat
the Burk Melisha [1] is out this week after
deserters they come up with the Johnsons
and others and fired on them and they
returned the fire and after firing a
bout [????] rounds the deserters run in the
time of the fray Sydney Poteet got badly
wounded in his arm the ball went in
below his Elbow went through his Elbow
and the ball lodged in his arm above
his Elbow it was a large minie ball
they got three deserters and loud they killed
some they seen them fall yesterday they
went to Henry Deales hunting the Johnson
and give hally a malling for his sas-
sy talk times is very bad here now
nbodys life is worth a days perches
and I dont look for this war to stop
for 4 years yet without the soldiers
all comes home they will take Thomas
from me next summer and then
what will I do George Taylor was after
him a few weeks ago brother Thomas
has to start back next teusday old
Mr is dead Johnathan Walker is
in georgia in the gard house the weather
is very cold hear now
I sent you a box of provision I recon it
wasent good you wrote to your Mother
and mima to send you a box of pro-
vision I hope they will send you
somthing good and plenty of it I
sent as good as I could get and the
baby died in the time I was fixing
it and you all so wrote to your mamy
to not let your children suffer
[page 2]
if we dont keep our selves from
suffering with out help from any
plase we will perish I think it makes
me look very small for you to write
the like to her when you know that
she wont help them just for her to
tell about all the country what you wrote her like you
had moor confidens in her raising
your children than me she hardly ever
gives them an apple to eat much less
to keep them from suffering the last
apple she gave to me I sent it to you
I was all ways one that wasent much
cared for my friends are few and fare
between God is My friend and helper
and his help is worth evry bodys els
I haint had no letter sens the 31 of oct
I dident write last week I dident
fell lik writing if the war dont stop there
will be moor children that will perish
besids yourn I hav don all the work
I could and when I do all I can I cant do
no moor if I could make Money I could
by corn at Hemphills for 6 dollars a
bushels before spring it will be
20 dollars abushel I dont see no sattis-
factison if I could I would come and see
you but I cant come some times I feel
like I cant stand it no longer but
hav to put up with it and do the
best I can it has ben a long time
sense I hav seen you and I
dont expect I will see you soon
but I hope the Lord will be with
you if I cant and bless and save
you and shield you from all harm
and danger and spare you life
to return home in pece soon
I will hav to quit my pen has
got mad and wont write and I
am very cold the children says
to tell par howdy I must close
M. A. E. Poteet to her loving
husband F M Poteet may the
Lord bless and save you farewell Francis