Camp near Kinston May the 1th/63

 

Miss Sarah J. M^cDonald

I take the opportunity of droping you a few lines to let you now we are all geting in the way of whiping the yankees we are looking for an attack from them every day we have had a good deal of moving about here of late we ware first in camp at Wilmington from there we moved to Goldsboro from there to Kinston where we are now we are geting along tolerable well considering we are only geting half rashings we are looking for a fight here every day I herd to day the yankees were landing below here towards Wilmington there is a good many troops ordered from here to Wilmington they are trying to make there way there we herd / I do not know whether it is so or not I think we will get into it before long I think our company gets more letters from the Reedy branch PO than any other place in moore county I concluded I would write to you to see if you would send me one you must be serten to do so I feel proud to get a letter from any person it is nearly all the enjoyment I have is when I get a letter we have to indure a good deal of hardship here I think there is some person in our company writing to you I want you to let me know who he is I think he has a notion of flying around I have a notion to try and blot him out if you will let me know who he is if I cant do that you must ask me to your weding when the war is over I am in hops we will soon / have peace and then we will all get the chance of coming home I am getting vary tired of this war I think we have been at it long enough I got a letter from some of your neighbors the other they said the girls are all groing up vary fast about union church you must pick me out one when the war is over we will talk about it I want you to choose me a purty one I think you will be a good hand I want to have one ready if I was there I could talk for myself so if you will pick her out I will write to her will be the only way I can talk with her unless I could get a ferlow I herd Rusel was going to visit the 26^th Regt I am in hops he will call round to see us before he goes back I herd he was / going to Summerville I do not know whether it is so or not I do not know what they will do at union if he leavs they will hardly ever get as good any more at the same wages We herd he was coming to this company or Regiment to preach for us you must write to me when you get this you must say something clever to Telitha for me I think she is vary good looking but I beleave I think as much of you as any of them I think you must wait for me until I can get a ferlow by the time the war is over I will be a first rate cook also a good hand to wash I have to wash without soap here you may know I would be a first rate hand with it

 

Yours Truly M. A. M^cNeill

 

[margin and interwritten]

 

You must not let any person see this letter for fear they may laugh at my foolishness a stich in time you know savs nine so I thought I would comence in time you must look over mistakes as my time is short and I am in a hurry to get through direct your letter to Kinston Co. C. 35^th Regt Ransoms brigade and it will come my reason for writing to you is that you appear near to me I like to write to my home folks you must be serten to write to me when this gets to you

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