March               the = 1863
		      12
Dear sun                     it is
With great 		Plasure
That i take my pen in hand
To Write a few lines to you
To let you no that i am
Well at present and i
Hope that theas few 
Lines will find you Engoyn
As good a health as i am
At this time and i hope
That your mother is well
i think that you must 
Feal lonsom But i hope
That it Wont Be a great
While Before this War Will
Come to a close and We
Poor salgers Will git our
Discharge and git Home
i tell you that When
That day come it Will
Be a day of [Regoising?]
A monxt the salgers hear
And When We git Home
To our famleys and friends
it is very wet and cold
Hear now and very muddey
i hope that it will soon 
Dry off it Will Be Better
for us to git a Round
And By its Beain so Wet
it makes it very sickley
A monxt the salgers
We have great times hear
Last night i nocked down
A damd Black negro and
i Would of shot him
if my gun had Went off
And that would of maid
one Black Cuss less

But i tell you that they
    [snaled?] him in the gard
Hous damd quick and
give him a Cold shour Bath
And i dont no What in
Hell they dun With him
After that nor i dont Cair
Their is a host of them
That is [put?] in the gard
Hous this negro Pen is
one nastey lousey PlaCe
When they Come out you
Can see the liCe Cralling
on their close and hair
Theas devels haits to go
in their like hell
Now almon i will
give you my edvice
you must Be a good Boy
And take Care of evry
Thing at home good By

Dear  Wife i Will
Write a few lines to you
i think that Probley
you Waunt to hear
from me i git a
Long as Well as Could
Be expeCted By Bean
PlaCed in this Condition
but i hope it Wont
Be long that We Will
Hav to Be a salger
We expect to git our
Pay in a few days
And then i Will send
it Write strait Home i had my money
stold out of my napsack
But they Wont git
This other good By
Bengman Brock