Oct 8^the 1863

                                                                                                            Camp Near Culpepper

 

                                                                                                Dear wife with plesure I take this oppertunity of writing you A few lines to let you know that I am well at presant and hope that this will find you all the same I received your lettar of the 4 and was glad to hear from you and hear that you wear all well we generley have anuff to eat sutch as it is we have tow very small potatoes a day and A small ration of beans and 10 hard crackers or one loaf bread poark or beaf every day and A small ration of shugar an coffey we dont have aney preatching at all/ our chapland went home and nevar came back you wanted me to tell you what I thought of your working for George you can do as you pleas but I think you would be on as friendely termes not to work for them but if you do I dont want you to nuckel under aney bodey and I think you would take more cumfort at home I want you to make me tow shirts get som dark checked woolen cloth and make them with out aney bosem onley one wide pleat for the bottoms you can put some narow trimers each side of the pleat and A narow band around the neck and trim that the same and send them by mail for/ A good shirt cost from 4 to 5 dolars hear and when you write again put in tow or three needeals for I lost all mine with my napsack it is rumard around he camp that we ar going to move but whitch way we cant tell John is well and abel to eat his rations as well as my self Skiner is marked as A desertar and he will be sent for soon I think I sent you 20 dolar in my last letar and will send you 12 in this thare is not aney thing more that I think of this time so no more at presant from your ever loving husband

                                                                                                James Swanson/

 

I have let gibson have to dolars and his Brother Roswell Gibson will pay you as soon as he gets an answer from him so that you wont find but 10 dol in this

SOURCES