february 17 1862
Wilmington N C
Dear wife I
take my pen in hand to let you
no that i am not well at present
but I hope that thes few lines will
find you an all the rest well i
would hav rote to you sooner but
i hav not ben able to rite i hope
that you will excuse me for not
riting no sooner and i want you
rite to me an let me no how you
ar geting a long an i want you to
rite to mee an let mee no how all
of my things ar geting a long
i cant tell you now when i can
com home i dont no whether i Shall
get the chance to com home be fore
my time is out or not an ef i
cant com bee fore my time is out
i want you to do the best you
can an i will do the best i can
ef i live tell my time is out
i am coming home an i am
turn over [1]
[page 2]
going to put up a
Stoor and go to seling of good
i hav money a plenty of money
an i hant got no other use to
put it two i want to
no whether Solomon has
volenteerd or not i herd that [he?]
had an i wan to no whether
he has or not and i want to
no when you ar coming to see
mee So i must bring my Short
lette to a close saying you mst
rite as soon as this lette comes
to hand remanes you husband
tell dethe
Evin Smith
to Mrs lucy Smith

a few lines to nely
i want to no whether
you ar maried or not
an ef you ant mared yet
i think that you ort to
wait tell i com back for
i want to eat sum of the
crust i want to no whether
you hav got in a good humor
mee or not for cuting off that har