Spring Bayou Hawpes Regt June 13^th 1864

 

                        Dear Wife I take this opportunity of answering your letters which came to hand yesterday & was read with a great deal of pleasure indeed it had been a good while since I had received any news from you I was getting very impatient but they came at last three of them one written No^s 11 April 21 one N^o 12 & N^o 13 May 16^th you may be assured that they gave me heartfelt satisfaction I was glad to hear that you were all about again & that the prospect was getting better for crops I feel in hopes now that there will be plenty of bread made to live on in Texas I am sorry to hear of so much stealing & robbing going on in that country but they will not get much from us I glad to hear that you are going to move where you will have plenty of house room & a school close & to learn that you have such good neighbors in the Powels & James Bradleys wife I am in hopes you may enjoy yourself better & also Matilda & all of you I think I would like them very much from what you write about them I am sorry to learn of our money going down so in texas it does seem to me like it ought to get better (that is the new issue) as we have been so successful this spring if it gets so you cant buy with it you will have to depend upon the County & State I am afraid as that is all that I get & but little of it I think you had better send Eddy to school when you move for I fear he is not improving much at home Johney will not learn enough yet to pay for tuition you had better I think you all will be better satisfied when you move I was glad to hear from Ed Milt I have not heard from him since you wrote about him before / although I had written to him your fears about raising something to eat I am in hopes will all be dissipated before now tell Jess I think he might come down & change with me a while any how as this is the easiest service tell him just to ride down & I will ride his horse back & it will rest both of us. I know he wants to see this country any how & get a little sugar to eat. but sugar is getting very scarce here also we have some very fine bales of Blackberies now I think of you & eat some for you evry time I get them & they eat very well stewed up with sugar if we had flour (I have almost forgot what that is) we could have some fine messes our rations have been rather slim for a few days but I think it is owing to disappointments we are making some beer it will do to drink by to morrow evning we had a barrel of very good the other day but had to go off & leave it we are now camped near Marksville some 2 miles from Ft Derusia Walkers men camped here last winter it is a very good place to camp & I think from prospects we will remain here a while I hope so at least for I am tired of running around so much I want you to eat a little milk & butter for me & dont forget the peas & beans & Etc. butter milk if you please corn looks fine I think I am in for a few of them I glad you are getting along as well in the clothing line as you are I received the sample of your dress you sent me & I do think it is nice & beautiful I feel very proud of you for making such & that blanket I have faint idea who it is for & feel very thankful for it but I do not want you to send it to me as I want the pleasure of coming after it I am getting very scarce of clothing & I do / not know whether I will be able to procure it here or not if it is convenient I would like for you to have me some against fall but I do not want you to send any thing now as I can make out awhile & perhaps I may have a chance to draw I have not got the socks you sent me yet I think they will be here with the balance of our clothing in a week or two we are a very dirty ragged set of fellows now the worst pest we have is these body guards which keeps us very uneasy sometimes it has been almost impossible to get shet of them since we left our clothing I think I will try & fix them up before long I was glad to learn that our place was in good hands I am in hopes they will / take good care of it I was sorry you could not stay longer in town I would like for you to spend a week in town with your old neighbors I know I would well I must quit as I have some other things to attend & it is late I think I shall have a chance to send this out in the morning I shall look for letters by Scruggs the first of next month. So give my love to all & a share to yourself & children kiss them for me my respects to enquiring friends this leaves me well So hoping hoping to that the Lord will preserve us to meet again soon & finally in heaven I remain your Devoted

Husband                                                                                 

Thomas W Johnson

 

Martha E Johnson

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