Jan the 5, 1864
Dear Wife
I take the present opertunity of droping you a fu lines to let you kno that I am well and I recd your kind epistle dated the 29 Dec you spoke of not geting a leter from me I have wote 3 Since I receved your last one I rite once a week and twice Sum weeks you spoke of my thum it is Sound well but I have got a sore finger I got the skin nocked of it hurte me from riting you kno that it dont take my flesh long to heal well Mag I lef Wilnong on mondy last in the rain it raind as hard as I ever Saw it you ma ges how wet I was I got here about Sun Set wet and cold and no fier nur we hant had no fier yet onley
to cook with we cant git wood we Sleep in a old Stable with our beds Spred on the ground the last 3 days is cold and wet and windy I never saw as hard win nur as cold win in my life the win gits a fare sweep at us water all round us there is good winters quarters here but tha are ocapied there is NO CO[note] here Sume of them is going to leve wee will git hous then R.C.C. is Stil on Detale tha cant put up no houses without R.C.C. I made a house out of clabords since here I have bin the colds work I ever dun sum put up tents but the tore them all them peces it is the coldes win I ever felt go to bed and git up with out fier Sum of our mes is bad of with cold and sore throats Sam cold is porley and our cook is Sick
Well Mag I have just come from church preching right here Babtest his text was Sams[note] 14 and 3 I receved a leter this morning from C.A.C. he spo of a great revivel in Concord Mag I wod like to know if you got a hand to hire you must have on or 2 let the cost be what it ma hier Hen and Leander you can git som body to tend to them dont Stand on the price any thing you need buy it you will have to buy Sum plous maby you can by sum shore from C.A. Caldwell if you can buy them right of if you cant you must by 2 or 3 mules one horse males See Charles about them I rote you a leter 2 or 3 days ago you must pich in Mag do the best you can
Well Mag I am giting very cold setting on the sand writ to you on my trunk we have no Sunday down here I hant saw no Sunday Since i have left home week weekedness Well Mag I cant tell you when i will go home. that is unnoen no furlos to go home is given now I wold like to go home home but So be it I must be conten time pases of fast but this is a dark hour with us I dont see prospect of da yet but I dont think much of this war from the comencement it a un holy war
Well Mag I close ma god Bles you
R.C.C. still remaing your friend til death his hand and prayer