June 9^the 1863

                                                                                                Camp on Richerds ford

 

Dear wife I take the plesure of writing to you again to let you know that I am well at presant and hope that this may find you all enjoying the same blessing I received yours of the second and was glad to hear from you we are with in half A mile from the rivar and we have to go on picket every third day so you can see how mutch rest we get thare is havey canonading on our right I think som whar near kelleys ford thare is all cindes of news hear about what we are agoing to do but you will get/ it as soon as I for thay dont want a Soldier to aney thing but to obey orders thare was A captin shot on picket on our right by som bushwhackers as we call them or guriles he belonged to one of the Main Regm I was on picket yestarday and probely will have to go on again to morrow if we stay hear but we expect to leave hear in A hury som of theas nightes John is well as usial he got A letar from father this morning it was riten to him and me to gather when you write again let me know if Elisbeth payed you tow dolars that I lent John and let/ me know if you got the check I sent you we got paid in the after noon and had to start at three clock in the morning so that I did not get a chance to send it untill we got hear Frank Secor is well and tuff as usial it must be that thare letars donte go through or else thay donte write for Frank is complaning that he donte get aney letars from home and I gess that thay donte write very often to each other but Frank is as od as ever and he has got so that he will play bluff but he donte make aney thing by it for he soon looses what/ little change he has got and then he has to stop I was glad to hear that you had 160 cabige plantes set out an I hop that thay will do well and that I will get A chance to com home and helpe eat them no more at presant give my love to all that enquire and as mutch to your self as I can send in this and belive me ever your loving

 

                                                husband untill Death

                                                            James Swanson

 

I must tell you A litel about David Galord to hear him talk in the Regment you would think he was one of the best fighten men thare was but thare is not money anoff in Camden to hiar him to take a gun and fight with the Regment but he is all the time telling what we can do and what we had ought to do but he standes one side

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