[upside down] I got your letter dated jun 12

 

                                                                                    port Hudson july 3^th 1863

good morning Eliza. A. & Mary. A. Delia & Frank. I am all Right this morning But I cant tell how I shall Be to morrow morning I hope thease lines will find you all well & doing well. Mmary Mary. A. Delia I have not writen to you I know as mutch as I have to Frank But I think as mutch of you & have always and do now But you Eaint of me as Frank has But I forgive you I dont want you nor Frank to mourn for me all I want you to say that I died in A good cause fighting to save the union you can say I have sufferd Every thing But death all Ready But I want you should Remembear the peace Democrats & the Copper heads ar trators to the union tha / for tha are like snakes in the grass Frank I want you to stand & stick to the union as long as you live & dont Be diseeaved Buy no won Read for your self. O. if I could see you one day I could tell more than I could write in four weeks Frank you must Be A good Boy to your mother you know hear health is vary poor now & you mustnot do eny thing to make her feel Bad. you git harpers weekley & you will see the Battles at port hudson git the one dated may 27^th & git them till the fort is taken & you will see the plan of the Battles as I have writen to you in my othear letters Before this I not should not write Eny thing A Bout the Battles / & those that are wounded & kild horis wood I have not heard from him sence I left Brashear he was lame then he is luckey thar not coming to port Hudson tell Mrs Coughflin her son David is well and feels well he is standing at the Brest works to day fasing the Balls we hafter stand twenty four ours at A time I shall Be glad when I am out of this place But thear will Be A grate meny lives lost first & A grate mey cripples made what would you think to stand & see A canon come Ball come & cut A man two lags off clost Buy you & you hafter stand thear fasing the next / it is to horable to write I tell you that is the Reason I dont write mutch A Bout it Eliza what I write to you as mutch as I do to Frank or mary tell Mary. A. delia to write to me and send Roys likeness I will gitt it some time or other tell her that I forgive her for her hardness to me But thear is some I shall not forgive no never will I no more at preaset till we git into the fort write soon. it is vary warm hear now I tell you Eliza I Bid you good Buy & also Mary. A. D. & Frank. Asa Holmes

 

[margin] Asa Holmes

SOURCES