decembr the 22 1862

 

dear brother i now attempt to in form you that we are all well and I hope this letter may find you injoying the same good blessing well cyrus we got tow letters from you yesterday and was glad to hear from you we got a letter from tomes macelfresh he sys says the boys are well but he is tired of watch the indeans loudan Pettyjohn dos fine but robert is very wekly they are looking for him home cyrus you complain of not git your letters I dont no why they dont go for I rite evry week we have got sixtene from you hacher says I direct rite but he think it is in the post master well I am sorow but it cant be helpt so I will do the best I can 

 

I was glad to hear of you being at meting for I loud you had no chance this is sunday and it is raining and look very lowoin so I thot I wood rite mother and joseph is going up to hillsborrow so I will git to send suner they havnt paid their tax oh how wish you home for crismass I would lick to mack a diner for my friends

 

my son if I could rite my self I would have so much beter chance to tell my mind to you so you must rite and tell me all that is on your mind for you are never out of my thouts I think mothers have to mack grate sackrifes to give the only son up and if eny won wishes the war to come to a close it is mothers 

 

well cyrus I am so glad you rite so often for if you didnot the time would be long to me I ceep very well this winter I havent binn bothered with the rumatism for which I am glad cyrus we are seprated and I fear we may never meet on earth for life is so uncearten and death so surtain i want you never to rest tell you have made your pease with your god so if we never meet on earth that we may meet up younder wher trubles and wars will not be now wher all will be pease and harmony I feel some what in curedg that peas will soon be made and then you cold com home to me wonce moure 

 

well cyrus your caption was hear this week to gether them men that left your company some says they are a fraid to go back poor fellows they have to go now

john cyrus wants to tell uncle he has a new book it is a secent reader nancy ann sayes she want to learn to rite so she can rite to you elen says all uncles things is hern and she will ride her elic and fech uncle home she junph when the mail comes and says goody we will git a letter from my uncle joseph says his hands is so stiff he cant rite so I have to rite for all and if I new you wood git it it would be the grates plasure to mee rite son hilan conty ohio new corwin mary ann davidson cyrus Pettyjohn

 

dear brother it with plasure that I attempt to in form you that we are all well and hope these few lines may fine you the same we receve your too letters last week and so got to hear from you I was sorrow to think you cant git my letters I never fail to rite to you every week if I new you wood git this letter it wood be such a plasure to me we sent that money to you moure than [paper hole] month ago oh how I wish you had money for to help you to git things you need that presant you sent us came last week we was glad we thot it was lost mother wants you rite and / tell just as near as you can how he treated mother she has a lawer im ployed to attend to the biseness cort comes on in febuary the old man is gon to his brother and intends to stay till spring we are going to moove down on uncle jime roberts place wher wicuf lives he is going to kentucky

 

cyrus mother wants to no were you was wen that riting was read wch wether you war in the room at the time or not

 

cyrus eli ferguson was discharg by paying twenty dolars he is still sick at uncle eli

 

neoman Pettyjohn is at home to stay he was hear last week he says he has seen site to of to tell litle elen says / she wanted to send you a lock of he her hair so she puled out and says hear mother send it to uncle we havent sold your corn yet uncle jim roberts says he will look rond and see where he can cashit for us hatcher rote to you somtime ago but you never got it

 

cyrus there has bin good meny changes since you have left home your children has bin going to school and it wood do you good to hear them reed joseph has bin doing good bisnes in the shop he cant begin to suply it all

 

cyrus you never seen your hors look beter he is slick as a mold I would hate to sell him he is good and gentel 

 

cyrus if this trobe was over it seemes as if trobles wood be at and end som think pease will be made soon oh how glad I wood be to have you at home again but we have to be willing to thing that seemes very hard to bair cyrus I want you to live as if evry day was your last you are so much expos to danger so if we never meet on earth we may meet in heaven no more at pesant

 

rite and tell me if you fair bad or not tell me the news mother is so glad to hear from you she can hardly wate from one week to the next and the neighbors to seam as anches to hear as they can be a good boy and god will protect you from harm

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