Stevenson Ala Sept. 16th 1864
Dear wife I hardly know how to write to you
after the loss of our mother I feel very sorry
for your double afflication She was So kind
to the children always ready with some funny
story when the children were fretfull or
troublesome to you besides She always
would watch you when you were sick or
working to hard when I was not there to
take care of you myself if I was only at
home to cheer you it would not seem so
bad Still it is an application that I have
long expected you would be called on to
			  old
endure She was getting only and feeble
when I left but I think she is the gainer
by the change for I believe she was well
prepared to go She has suffered much here
on this Earth but now her trials are ended
and she will be ready to receive her reward
when the Master comes to reward the faithfull.
you say who will love me now who can I go
to with all my little griefs and find Sympathy.
I my dear have always loved you and I shall 
have to try to fill the place of a mother as well
as that of husband but I feel I am not
capable but will do my best if I was

only there it would not seem so hard I
                     at
think if I was ^ home I would not leave you
now for it would leave you so lonely. but
you must cheer up and not let your griefs
prey upon your system for then my little
boys would be without any protector. I know
that the command is a hard one for it is
your nature to brood over trouble but it is
					    little
your duty both as the mother of our [illegible in original] ones
and as a christian woman to rise and
conquer trouble for it is intended to be 
for the best times look dark to us but
we cannot see the intent of our creator Every
thing will work out for the good of those that
love the lord.
I am well but I do not think this company
will be at home this fall I received your
two letters this week that told of Mothers
death and one of them had eight post stamps
                 very
in it   I was ^ glad of them for I was
entirely out you say give any gentleman
lawyer or doctor to understand his attentions
are offensive and its enough. who is that
gentleman lawyer or what not. why need
you mention him at all if you will not
tell his name I think you might have


			Sept. 16th, 1864


entire confidence in me, there is probably a
good deal more work to do here than will
be done before I go home I mean when this
war is over then I can go with nothing
to call me away I would not stay here and
work for the government for twice as much 
as I get if this war was over and my
country did not need my services but I
think it is much better for us to have me
here than it would be to be at home afraid
of the draft or robbing my family of our
hard earnings to get a substitute and then be
drafted at last but I think this war will
soon be put to an honorable termination
and then I can come home with the glorious
 ee
fooling that I have done my duty to my country
and not slunk away like a coward. I dont
think of any more to write and it is getting
late you say that if you was as well as I am
& had no more to do than I do you would
write to me oftener than I do to you well
perhaps you would, I have had to get up
and have breakfast by five oclock all summer
and that gets me out rather early and we dont
have supper till seven at night so you see it
is a long day to work but I must close


by saying kiss the children for me and
may god  bless you is the prayer of your
	husband	Simeon A Howe