Dablen Va            Dec the 14^th 1861

 

                                                                                                                                    Dear

Cousan it is with pleasure that I seat myself this morning to answer your kind letter whitch came to hand some time sence. I woud have written before now, but doutless youy know something about the hard ships that we had to encounter with and we had but little paper and we thought that we would wait untill we had some thing of importance to write, or get wheir we coud get paper. we are now on the railroad in half a mile of the Depot but we have orders to go to Charston South Carolina/

 

We will leave hear in the morning, and I wish that you be hear to see us cooking we have five days rashens to cook this evening. we have plent to eat at this time, but while on our route to cotton hill we drew onely half rashens so we had to make out on that and parched corn. John has picked up sow much that you woudent know him if you was to mett him in the road. eather of us hasent shaved sence we lef Grifen, and I dont expect to shave untill I go back home so I will appear like a stranger to you all/

 

I want to get a furlow for thirty days if I can get Couson I have a great to write havent the time to do it it, so I will wait hoping that I will see you before a great while; Miss Molly sent her respects to me I will return the same to her. tell her that I woud have liked to have had the honor of bearing the flag that she presented to the company from long Cane tell all of the geirls houdy for me; and give my love to all of the Famly and accept the same     truly yours

                                    H. H. Hodnett

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