Greenbush Clinton Co. Jan 5th [illegible] 65
My Dear Woodie How are you
this afternoon Oh I wish I knew
but I must wait until I can [know?]
you very welcome letter came to hand
in due time and was eagerly perused
by those who love you we were
very glad to hear that your health
was still good the Lord is kind and
good to you for which we desire
to be thankful we have also been
[illegible] in health while others
have been sick and some have died
our prayer is that you may
still be the object of the Almig
htys care for no other being can
protect you in the danger to which
you are exposed I hope you may
never be a prisoner for it is an 
awful place to be but God is able
to protect you there as any where
There has three of the Fifth Cavalry
that were taken prisoner along while
ago come home now on Parole they
are Gabriel Anderson and [Marles?] and 

[Written sideways on the left side of Scan 1]

George thought he was gaining alittle when he wrote last

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George Young they look as they
though they had hard usage it
thought that Charles will not live
long Benjamin [House?] did not live
to get home Gabriel says he wants
to get well so that he can go down
south and pay some of the rebs
for what they make the soldiers
Suffer We have been having some
Sleighing but the fore part of the
day to day it has been good [illegible]
ces weather but now the thaw
is about taking a hard cold and
I should not wonder if we have some
more sleighing
Half part 7 evening
the boys are shelling corn and Pa has
just come in from doing his night 
chores he is going to town to mor
row to take a load for Mr Brewer
and I Shall have a chance to send
this letter and a pair of gloves they
are not such as I would like to
send you but the best that I can
get now if you would prefer
buckskin when you write Say So and

send you a pair [these?] were 5 shillings
If I live to see another year I hope
that I may have yarn to knit you
a pair of gloves or mittens or both
and I hope you may be home to
wear them Mr Brewer has bought
him a place at Flint and is go
ing to move there sometime in the
course of the winter he is going
to leave Henry or Hank just as
you are a mind to call him to
			Mr Brewer
take care of his farm he is getting
to be quite a gentleman now
adays he Says he is not going to
work any more
The call for more men is causing
quite a sensation in these parts in
Essex especialy they all expect
to be drafted and I hope that
some of them will for there was
some in that town that I should
like to have go for they are so opp
osed to the government that they
wish old Lincoln was dead but
cant kill him they would hurl
the whole republican party into
[illegible] if they could and Uncle
Bill youngs and Harvey Lyons
folks are some of them I hope that
Layman and Theodore Lyon will
be drafted just because they are
So opposed to the administration
Now I must tell you of a wed
ding that has gone off lately
Mary Jones has married a man
by the name of Jessee Bing
ham he appears to be agood
steady industrious young man
we think she has done well
Mary has improved a good deal
since you went away we think
considerable of her now the
family are all different since
[illegible] and Ed died but I guess
better close for you will get tired
of reading write as often as
convenient for we are anxious all
the time I will send you apaper
if I can with an account of a great
railroad disaster in I think you will

[Written sideways on left side of Scan 4]

smile before you get through reading it) with a great deal of
love I remain as ever you own deare Mother N L Mattoon
				G W Mattoon

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