Va. September 21^th 1863

 

                                                                                                                        Dear frend

I am wall this morning Willson left here last evening un benone to me So I did not send my monney by him as I intended to do..I hav herd from my sharts Captain Fay left hom in meadville. you ned not send tham /

 

I am sorrey enouf that I cod not send my monney hom by wilson for thare is some dan ger in sending by mail now from here thare is some grilies a round we dont know how soon we may be surrounded by tham if I ever eurnt monney in the world I hav eurnt this or seufferd whil I was erning it it is hard on my consteutinn Children I want you shod remember that this monney yoar farther ernt in the armey sleping on the ground som times  so verry cold and wet shivering like a dog marching in the sun and deust no watter to drink that was fit som times not much to eat I hav seen a grat menney men laying long side of the roadd compleatley don out no one to giv tham a drink of watter while I hav ben able to march and not fale I hav cep up good ceiurag

 

[margin] Riley Carpen /

 

If you get this monney I want the children to hav to dollars a peas of it. you may act as a gardeen over for tham giv some of tham the monney now or ceep it your self and giv tham your not (or mine) hol the notes with eurse in the bible or some saft plase nex spring if I shood not be at home by something for tham that will gro. for the oldest children ceep the monney for the smaler ones till tha no what tha want don with thares If enney clas of people in the world had out to mak good euse of thare monney it is the solger he exposes him self so much and liv on hard tack That is wormmey. we liv as wall as enney armey I think in the world But I dont liv as I did at home /

 

we had five dayes rasion isued to us last evening. we hav now 8 days provishion on hand now That is a good sine of a long march in a enomous countrey Some men think we will march for Richmond My last postag stamp is gon. I sold some of tham I cood hav sold more if I had tham

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