#16



		Bridgeport Al. Jan 14th /64
Dear wife it is with pleasure that I have
time to write a few lines to you. I am well
I received yours of Dec. 31st yesterday it ought
to have come 2 days quicker which disappointed
me much when it is time for your letters to
come every train or cars is looked for with
anxiety untill it comes my letters are mailed
here every week iff they dont come it shall
not be my fault as long as I am able to write
I have got twelve stamps from you you
need not send any more untill I write for
them. I have bought fifteen stamps which
gives me a good supply. Laurence and
son Daniel also is here. and well Thomas
Munson is sick in Nashville I heard he
was getting better he and Will and Sal
Cressinger are all in Nashville 150 miles from
here so you hear from them oftener than
we do as to Co M being half on the sick
list is nothing alarming as nearly half of 
them are boys and men to lazy to work so
they go to the doctor to get excused from
duty we expect to find some sick ones
always in one hundred and fifty men
in camp there is not one man on the

ground dangerous or bed fast so enough of
that. Iff you will look in the first pert
of my account book and you will find put
down there when dolly was put to horse.
I dont remember just when it was but
think it was about the middle of May 
and she will go from ten to twelve months
The contract with luce was this I was
to furnish a team to do the work on the
farm and wagon for the same and plough
also and seed he was to fall plough
the lot down next to fitzes and the piece
back of the orchard he was to sow the
piece next to fitzes to oats and the corner
piece to oats plant the orchard to corn
and potatoes  Left it to you to say how
much to potatoes and summer fallow (?)
the helms stubble ground and the piece
back of the orchard and plough the
piece back of the orchard three times.
and he was to have half of the crops and
deliver your grain in the barn threshed,
your potatoes buried in the hole and
the corn husked and in the crib. He
was to leave the straw all on the farm
but you was to find hands to stack the
			Jan 14, 64


same and one man to divide the grain
threshing day. I told him if doll was
not fit to work on account of her colt to put
in one of his horses and then use one of
mine on his place enough to pay back
the use of his he was not to plough up
any of the grass ground nor cut the hay
without a separate bargain. Iff there
is going to be any fuss you had better
get your deeds all recorded and then take
the staff in your own hands. tell Ada
that I was glad to hear she was getting
along with her school. Williams letters
that you sent all come here I just
sent back three of them to him
iff you direct to him dont mention
the Com nor Regiment but direct to
Hospital No 4 Ward B Nashville, Tenn.
I have not got any paper from you papers
dont come very regular but I have read the
proclamation and think it about right you
need not waste stamps to send me papers as
I get more reading matter than I get time to
read. I think you can afford to hire some one
to split the wood for you I shall send one
dollar in this to pay for splitting the wood

for you and if Electa hires some one to split
as much it will last all winter I dont want
you to suffer thinking to share with me for
you will get cheated for I dont suffer any-
				     h
thing but comfort I get all the dis^clothes
enough for myself and you to. I think the time
will come when we shall see each other
again. I cannot read about you and the children
nor think without the tears flowing fast but
I am glad of it. Sometimes I wish I did
                     and the
not love you so much babies so well
and then it would not be so hard to
stay so long from you and it would 
not come so hard iff I was called to 
leave you alone in the world and lay
my body in the grave in the sunny
south but enough of this. I love my
family and it is right it is so and I
pray that it will never be otherwise
bxes come here to the soldiers from St.
Johns one weighed 80 pounds and cost
		          to
three dollars I wrote for you to send 
me some things about the time that 
Bassetts Boys sent for theirs. I guess you
did not get the letter but you may send me
a small box if you have not sent it when
			Jan. 14th 1864.


you get this send some butter put in a tin
pail and cover fastened on and some dried
fruit and some cookies. I made some apple
pies to day and the boys said they were
the best they had eat since they come from
home well it is time to go and get some
supper so I will have to draw my letter
			    you
to a close   may god bless ^ and give you
health and strength to bear up under all
you are called to bear is the prayer of
your ever faithfull husband Simeon A. Howe to
			his wife and children
tell Helen and Della to be good girls and
learn all they can and let the boys go
to the [Spries?] (?) all they are a mind to.
Tell Arden and Owen to kiss Ma for Pa
for Pa is in Dixey but Pa will come back
when the war is over if the lord is
willing to spare his life tell the little 
boys to pray for Pa to come back
			      SA Howe
I will send five dollars instead of one
give my love to all
			SAH.