Newbern, NC Sept. the 17, 1862

 

My Dear parrents

 

                        I received your kind and welcom letter with the greatest pleasure in my hand I almost wish that I was this man a holding that beautiful flag and then I could see you when you open this letter how pleasent it would be wouldent it wal I hope and trust that our lifes will be speard to return safe on the free soil of old connecticut once more I am now in the sunny south in the land of dixie where cinnamon ceede and / sandy bottom and in the land of cotton you dont know how funny the cotton looks when it is a growing wal I will try to tell how it looks when it is a growing it grows in a shuck just like a walnut and I have a cotton blow that I will send to you in this letter it is quite a quosity and a cotton seede that I will send it grows a bout 3 feet high I have seen fields of it as large as from our house down to the ferry the land is swamppy diches dug through to drean it lots of pines here they make boats of the pine trees dig them out I have seen pine trees 5 feet through they are tall and strait what / nice timber have you heard from Henry yet if you have write and let me know where he is and I will write to him and how dose he like to be a soldier a soldier life is a hard life for a new beginner but I dont think mutch a bout it now I wish that you could see us drill and se how we are situated down hear I dont think I shall want a house to live in when I come home I could sleep most anny where I have just received a letter from you stating that you had heard from Henry and that they could hear the big guns at a distant and that the boys would go in / battle with out a gun it is just as you say if they had bin in the field as long as I have they would think diferant I think my gun is the best friend I have in the field of battle and if I ever return I mean to bring it home with me he aint seen the hardest of it yet an I hop he wont have to se verry hard times I sent a deguarytype to you with albert plumb and I suppose you have got it you said farther was pleased with his coat how dose it fit him is it big a nouf for him it just fit me I believe he could wear my coat tell herman Jack is a big fellow now tell him to be a good boy and help farther all he can kiss Eddy for me I shall put a letter in this one for Aunt Caroline and you can seal it when you give it to her give my love to all and shear a part your selfs remember me to Katie and Aunt Caroline and Lyman I was glad to get a letter from hur

 

this is from your brother

Miles L Smith

                                               

write soon

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