State of VA
March the 6 1865 on picket
Near Reams station
Dear wife and children
i now seat my self to drop you
a few lines to let you no that
I am wel hopeing theas lines
wil find you all wel and
doing wel I can tel you that
I received your letter of the 17
of Febuary was glad to
hare from you for i had
ent got a letter from you in
two weaks i begen to think
you was a going to quit riteing
I am sory to hare that you
have ben so unwel and
so much out of hart a
bout the war you had
beter try and take every
thing as easy as posable
I was sory to hare that you lost
your oald sow i expect you
wil los every thing
[page 2]
I want you to take good care of my baby tel I come [1]

I have no news to rite at
this time we are here on
pickit every thin is quiet
now we will go back to camp
tomorow you sed you couldent
send a box only by expres
and it would cost two mach
i expect it would you done rite
dont send enny thing with
out you can get some per
son to feth it for there is
two menny raskels i wil
try and make out the best
i can you sed something a
bout clothing I rote in one
of my letters for you to
send me a pare of pants
with mark wilson i am
nothing but strings you sed
you wanted to no when i woud
would bee at home i cant
tel you that i expect to
get home some time this
[page 3]
spring if i am spard to
live you can make me close
if you want to my socks is
toleable good yet you sed
something about Noah
wanting to rent
some of the bottom what you
cant tend let him have it
I dont expect you are takeing
care of your self you had
better take care of your self
i want you to tel me how
the nigers is a doing and if
bels wil bee fit to do enny
thing this spring or not
and tel me how there shoes
is lasting and whether they
take care of theme or not
and dont let them spile for
the want of fixen i wil stop
that now I can tel you that
I am mity tired of this war
you dont no how bad i want
[page 4]
to get home to sea you all
for it is the most miserable
life that ever a man lived
but i hope by the grace of god
to sea you all a gane I
dont think it wil last long
I wil now tel haret about
her riteing she dus toleable
wel all the falt she has she
scatters them a little two
much i want sophrena to
take more panes and rite as
plane as she can and dont
slant her letters quite so
much but do the best she can
I wil now tel you that I am
tryin to do the best i can we
have preaching regular
rite often and give me all
the news so nothing more
at presant but remane your
frend and companion untel
death Franklin Setzer
to Carline Setzer