[it is unclear what relationship James may have had to the Spainhourds]

Camp Johnson June th 25th 1862

I take my pen in hand to let you
no how i am getting along
i am well and in good hert
hoping that these feu lins may
find you and all your famely
in good helth and in good hart
i am owt on picket now and
hav ben and hav ben out her
ever somc last monday
we haft to stay 9 days me and
Eaight other men are down the
Rail road about one mile
fother then any of the rest
of the picits they are tarin up
the ralroad every day and they say
that the yankeys is laying it
down they ar hauling them
to Sols Borough
three Regments of our briggad
has gone to Richmond sinc we
hav ben out her
[page 2]
Bob is ded he died at the houspotle
at Raleigh he was not in his
right mind but two days after
Got in camp before he got sick
when they cared him of to
Raleigh he was getin better he said
that if he died he wanted his
Brother to hav his mony
Corn crops looks Sorry doun
her thare is no wheat hardly rased
doun her it looks like we will
soon perish if crops is as sorry
evry whar els as they are down her
we hav nothing to eat but
wheat bread and old bacon
i would like to com hom
to get me a good mess of
potatoes i think that the old
Boss wil Send me something
to eat [S?] is coming home in a
few days and i recon he will
do like the rest Stay [?????]
[???] for and get him [???]
[page 3]
I want you to writ to me
and tell me all the news
Lem Davis said that uncle
Emanuel and Marshall
had fel out and if you hav
ever saw uncle Emanuel and
it is so you can giv me
the points i no i cant beleav
it But still i would like
to no if it is so or not
they sey that uncle has hired
him two niggars and they say
that the sun has not shone on
him at the house only at
12 oclock
there has Ben a heap of taulk
about the conscript i would
like to see som of them that
i no of coming them Boys
Back thare i recon that they
Got aheep of Straw berrys
at Mr Merils
[page 4]
I must bring my letter
to acloase i hav nothing more
to writ i want you to
writ to me and send me
all the news send your
Letter to Kingston
in the car of capt Gibson
[?????] co to

P. A.. James