December the 14 1863

Dear wife and family i now seat my
self to let you no that i am wel and
have ben well hopeing when theas lines
comes to hand they wil find you enjoying
the same blesing we have left long
strets army we are now in green county
tennessee but i dont no how long we
wil stay thear we are rideing all
over the country presing and takeing propty
of all kinds long street is faling back
the popfle is movein out of tennessee
as fast as they can its thout by all
that tennesee is gone we see hard times
here we travel so much we get something
to eat whare ever we can i mett with
as good people here as i ever met with enny
whare i want you to write as soon as you
can and let me no how you are getin along
i want you to tel me when heard from
brother daniel and all the rest of the boys
tell me all about the neighbors i want
turn over

back a few line to oald auncle
mathy did cald neighbor i drop you
a few lines to let you no that i havent
forgot you yet you told me tennessee
was the best coutry ever and so it is
so i remain your frend until death
i was riteing this letter when
i receved yours so i cant anser it
in this letter butt i wil answer it
in a few days so i remain companion
until death
Franklin Setzer

want you to [??] a [rest of line unreadable]
[line unreadable]
want to take [???] in the any thing for
[????] [????] [????] [????] times any
body ever seen we find an burn we
[???] [???] [????] some times we burn
the fence for a [???] [???] i dont think
this unholy[?] we are [???] [???] long at my
soon close [???] and expected [???] [???] [???]
with you but we no [???] [???] you get
your [????] sat [????] [????] [????]
being you all to do the best you can
i hope the time wil soon come when
we wil ever mete agane you wouldn’t
hardly me same [???] were then [???]
was so write soon drect your letter to
ashville in car of capt hines
one request and that is i want you and
all my frend to pray for me [???] [???] you
pray for me [???] [???] and any [???] for you
me they never rite they excuse
me we cant get paper nor stamps here
i dont no whether i can get a furlo or not
soon but if i dont i expect to get home
some day i was in one fite and the lord
spard me and i hope he wil spare me
stil when i think about the mornig
[??] [???] with you and i cant help
when i think how happy we[??]
[???] and now seperated so far apart but
my love for you wil still never fal
back yet but the baby [???] all most
[???] you it looks i now