Dec the 19, 1863
Dear Wife
With pleasure I take my pen in hand,, this morning in ansur to your kind epistle which I recived a fu day a go with pleas I have bin in the city on gard for 2 days Sam McKin gut here last knight he expcts to star back in the morning the 20 I will Send my box with him I giv him five dolars to by you sum orings[note],, every thing is hier here than in Charlote Scoot came down here with his finger in his mouth he mite fetch our boxes well a nuf onley he dident want to be trubled with them,, the Soldiers intends to hang all Such men,, tha Say cant Sufer and fight and be Niger Sich men will See hard times when the Solders gets home[note]
Well Mag as I have told you before and as I tell you a gain I dont know when I will get home a bit more than you do I dont think it will be Soon my chance is as good as Sams,, But the Lords will be dun not mine I will hope for beter thing whether it coms or not but things looks verry dark to me now I was apost to the war at the outset and I am yet I dont like to See So many folks at home and me in the field that has more to fite for than I hav,, our Confedrecy is lost lost before long without a change Soon I think a change will take place before harvest
Well Mag this day is cold a clear I was on picket Thursday knight in town at the theator I neve Saw it rain harder in my life I had to take it gust lik a cow but it dident hurt me I dun the best I cold I think I can Stand as mutch as any man it is kiling lots of our men I hope those fu lines may find you and family all well
write soon and often tell me all the nuse I cant write you much nuse nuse that wold do you any good you can here the nuse of the war I receved a leter from Mother yesterday I herd D A C Nuthing more
M.I.C. I remain your husben til death
Well Mag I receved your box with thanks to you it was all right and good it found me ready for it,, but wee have a good mes we have a Set of nice men wee all git Boxes every 2 or 3 weeks so wee always have Somthing from home on hand if wee dident we wold See hard times wee sell our meet we draw and pays for our washing,, Well Mag R.C.C. is well and fat onley I have got a Sore han I got it cut yesterday with the ax write a cros the root of my thum I think it will be well in a fu days if I dont get cold in it,, you said Mary Sam was looking for Sam home crismes Sam dont know when he wil git home I can tell you it wont be soon.
