Watterboro May the 12, 1864

           

Dear Sister by request from your mother I wil answer the letter which she got last night She is wel and so is your Father and al the rest of us I want to tel you about Ivory and Dimon they were put in prison the first of march in Richmond first and then on bel isle 3 weeks and then back to old Libby prison again Dimon was sick in the Rebels hospital the first of Aprel and was paroled the 20 of Aprel and sent to Annapales in the parole camp I have had six letters from him He said they most starved him to deth. I got a letter from Ivory last Monday night he is parroled and in the hospital to Annapalis with Dimon only not in the same hospital he has ben sick and that was why thay parroled him he is not vary sick he said but about starved in prison O how glad I am thay have got out I have most died about them rite to them direct to Ivory 1^st Mane Cavelry Co F Annapalis St John College hospital ward 2 Maryland dont fail to rite they are going to get a ferlow /

 

I made a mistake and rote on the other side it is friday afternon Al is wel your father has ben up today remember it is St John Collage ward 2 hospital Ivory is in thare rote to Susan today I shal look for a letter to night I made as much as forty pound of sap sugar I wish you had some and the babyes when did you hear from Paul and Colins Paul rote to Ann after Ivory and Dime war taken they never rote while they were thare had no paper we rote to them and sent paper but they did not get them Some of thare Co is thair now poor fellows I fear thay wil starve the rebs call them rebel raders and use them dredful I am so glad Ivory and Dime is out I dont no how to act they have enough now they say and are used wel they took thair money about thirty dolars and every thing thay had Dime said the lice was so thick and large they like to eat him up O how dredful it is it seems somtimes I shal be crazy thinking about it I do believe this war wil kil me it groes worse and worse /

 

if you get any nues rite thar is a terable battl now I expet O how many poor men must die how many wives and children must morn I expet it wil soon be my turn I live daly in fear of it but as long as thair is life thair is some hope Ann has not ben home sinse she went down to the falls I am so lonsom I dont no what to do and so much trouble but I gues you wil get tired trying to find this out for I am in such a hurry and my pen is so poor how do you like to Salem when are you coming down kis the children for me and so I must close for I am going to send this to the ofice tonight from one who often thinks of you taking comfort whith your husband and children while mine are far away but I hope thair is better days a coming soon all send their love rite soon tel all the nues Olive and Saley is wel Saley works in the mill Ann said goodby / if they can and come home Ann is keping house for Erastus little fred has forgot his poor Mother they are wel Erastus is not a going to brake up keeping house Susan is to kennebink to work but is coming home and keep hour school I expet Unkle Rufus was up last monday Margaret is sick yet I expet Susan Guptil is going down their to work James G. is to work hear today Say nothing

 

Lon Hamilton has inlisted and gorn to Augusta Laroy Hamilton has ben hear I wish I could se you and your babes give my love to Darl I am al alone with Sis She wants to se baby O lizzy no one noes how I have sufered about Ivory and Dime thank God thay was not in the last great battle the boys get along vary wel with their spring work Nancy I dont se at al she has got Erastus baby Abigal [?] ar al wel Saley has got a smart girl it is to bad your mouth is so sore and hands do you do all your work I dont no as you wil find this out my pen is so poor and I am in a hurry rite to me and I wil answer it your father has just gorn from hear but I must close so good by rite son rite to poor Ivory and Dime

                                                                                               

Belinda Hamilton

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