November the 23 1863 N C
Buncomb County Dear wife
i now seat my self this beauty
ful Sabbath morning to let you no
that i am wel and whare i am
hopeing when theas lines come to
hand they wil find you and
all the rest engoying the same
blessing we are now in camp
two miles west of ashville
but we dont no how long we
wil stay here thear is some
talk of going to henderson County
i have never herd from you yet
i dont no whats the reason i rite
evry week i want to hear from
you and hear how you are geting
along we have had hard times we
made two trips in tennessee we
took eight hundred and fify hogs
and some cattle some horses we
took Enny thing we want ed to fed
or eat i we traveld fourty
miles down french borad [1] it el you
that evry thing in that county
is ruend i dont see how the peple
wil live evry thing disstoyed i
was in the warm springs we
water is warm anouf to
wash dishes i have seen a great
[page 2]
deal sise i left home but
i want to see home more then
enny thng else i want to see
you and all the children onse more
write and tel me all the news
i want to hear if elly hews
baby [???] got wel or nout him
to rite tel mother Wilson [2]
i want her to pray for me i feal
tho my neighbor are praying
for me wife dont forget to pray
for me evry day my helth is
good thear is no talk of fiteing
here now write direct your
letter to ashville in care of
capt stow i must bring theas
lines to close by teling you to do
the best you can tell howdy
to evry body for me i dont
think the yankys can ever whip
us we have strong forses here
i will now close by saying
in hope of that in [????]
[line too faded to read]
and gladly wander up and down
and smile at toil and pain
tel waits and jo houdy houdy
[??] nothing more at presant
but remain yours until death
Frank Lin Setzer