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		Stevenson, Ala. Julyh 5, /64
			Tues afternoon

My dear I received a letter from you and Louisa
last Saturday have been harried so ever since I had
not time to answer your letter before was glad to
hear you was as well as usual you speak of the
drouth you say spring wheat and oats are all
gone up. you need not fear of its discouraging
me  I have lived there and know just how it
goes every year I had heard about the drouth
two weeks ago it dont discourage me now
I think in time it will be a benefit to us in
some way  well we have had very hot weather
here but there has been plenty of rain to
make things grow right Smart as the citizens
say – string beans are plenty in camp now
peas are not quite so plenty they are getting
rather large to eat green we can get all the
new potatoes that we have got money to buy
and they are nice ones too nearly as large
as your fist. plenty of green cucumbers & 
young cabbage and beets. well I must stop
telling you of all the good things that grows
in the sunny South or you will be homesick
and sell out and move down South before I
get home. Well I should be sorry to hear
	   was
that you would ever willing to leave lovely
Gratiot. Well not I will tell you about

our fourth of July dinner I bought a lot 
of blackberries and half a bushel of new potatoes
and half a bushel of peas I made a lot of
sweetened fried cakes the boys went out
and shot a 2 year old heifer and then we
went into the pile like fun the boys say
they never eat so good a dinner in their
life  I am glad Oscars has got his discharge
papers made out because he will never be of any
use to the army. Louisa Says God knows
Sim you left your family in a better
condition of Situation than Oscar did his
Well that is nothing you know she used
to think I did not know enough to get a
living I am as well as ever I am very
sorry too think the drouth and frost is
going to spoil everything there but perhaps
it wont all be Spoiled yet it is a long
time yet till fall you may have good crops
yet. Louisa say you informed her that the 
chicken debt was paid. Well now you can
keep this letter as testimony against you
I believe I did not give you any authority
to collect anything of that nature that was
coming to me . for I dont feel willing to 
sell any such accounts I am coming home 

		July 5th, 1864


yet to take my pay withe interest . well keep
up good courage and as the old saying is a
Stiff upper lip and all will be well yet trust in
the lord and he will proper you in necessary
for your good:  I am thankful that he has
given us all comfortable health Since we have
been parted by the necessities of war and I
pray that the blessing of health will continue
while I am in the army you say you got
the box of clothes well the Jewelry was in
Johns old over coat pocket and belonged to
Electa I did not send any perhaps I shall
send you something sometime but dont know
when tell the boys to kiss their ma and
think of pa all the time I should like to
See you all very much. but must say good
bye for this time   take my love for you
all write often from your ever loving husband
			Simeon A Howe
to his wife C E P Howe