Vicks Burg Miss

March the 9^th 1864

 

Dear Beloved Wife with the greatest of pleasure it is that I can once more enjoy the preasant oportunity of righting you a fiew lines in answer to your kind and mutch welcomed letter whitch I received about fifteen minutes ago and I was very glad to hear from you But you canot imagin how bad I felt when I learned that that you was in so mutch trouble and that you had sutch a hard way of getting along But Cordelia I hope you will not have to break up housekeeping / I hope you will try and keep the children and just as soon as I can I will send you some more money I would not listen to aney thing that Beck Apple says I would just let her talk and about old Harpers acount I would just let him wait I get home I would not pay him until I come home for he told me that he would not ask aney pay until I would get home

 

Cordelia my Beloved Wife I hope you will do the best you can and keep the children together until I get home 

 

Well Cordelia I must tell you where we are now well we are on the boat and about ready to leave for red river we have a trip of about seventeen miles to go on the boat but I would mutch rather go back up the river than to go so far down but I will have to go and it cant be helpt But I hope this rebellion will soon come to a close we are on the steamer Chanteau it is about as larg a boat as runs the river there is over one thousand men on it and one Batery of artilery / and about seventy five head of horses besides a gooddeel of other freight well Cordelia I have not mutch to right at preasant but I shall have to close buy telling you that I am well with the exception of the diare and a bad cold and I hope when those fiew lines comes to hand they will find you in the enjoyment of good health so nothing more at preasant but I still remain your Dear and affectionate Companion

Hugh Bay to Cordelia A Bay and children

 

right soon                                                                                                    

SOURCES