March the 11^th 1863 Port Hudson La

                                                                                                

Dear Father Mother Brothers and Sisters it is with the utmost pleasure that I now with pencil in hand attempt to wright you a few lines to let you now that I am still in the land of the living I am enjoying tolerble good helth at the presant time I hope that those few lines may find you all enjoying the best of health the health of the soldiers is tolerable good at this time Colman Highsmith was hear and eat dinner with me to day we had peas and bread he is in the very best of health allso R T Jones is well and harty well wee have the finest wether down hear that you ever saw the spring has opened evry thing / looks as green hear as they do in Tennessee in they month of may the fields are green and spoted over with herds of cattle it is no comon thing to see fifty milk cows in one pasture I recieved your kind and welcom letter of January the fourthe Febuary the fourthe I was more than glad to hear that you all was even as well as youe you were I hope that the children have got well of the hooping cough I got one pare of socks and one towel the sam time that I recieved your letter Doctor M^cCauley brought them through without any difaculty I hav plenty of clothing but it is of a most to warm a qualiety for this climate I have not drew any pay yet but they have give us fifty dollars bounty / which wee live liveon drew I had got out of money but have plenty now and will have as long as bounty lasts I cant close my letter without telling you somthing about our fare it is the seldomest that wee ever draw more than halapound of meal and that half brand we get four pounds of bacon to the man for evry tenn days wee get the other six days rashons in beef that the niest starved to death hound in Tennessee would not touch this is the trouth ef ever I told the trouth in my life wee get plenty of sugar molases rise and pease wee by somthing to eate some times but have to pay a terible prise bacon is seventy five cents per pound butter one dollar and fifty cents eggs one fifty and / lard one dollar notwithstanding high prices wee by when we cant do any better I havent tasted of Flour bread but onst or twice since I left home I want you to wright the first chance and tell me all about your Farming and your Tobaco stock and your Fish trap and evry thing els things two numerous to mention tell the children that I want to see them very bad especially from sister down the rest are large anuf to wright to me them selves and I think that I shall her from them soon so no more at presant but remaine your Son

                                                                                                Untill Death

                                                                                                            Wesley H Frey To

T J Frey and Jane Frey

 

[envelope]

Favor R Adams

 

M^r T J Frey

Montgomry County

            Tenn

SOURCES