July the 24 1862

 

                                                                                                            My Dearest Wife

I take the pleasure of of riteing these few lines to you in answer to your most welcome letter of the 22 witch gave the grate pleasure to heare of you and the child Being in good helth as the parting of this leaves me at presant thanks be to god for Dear Wife the pickture that I received in your letter pleast me well as anything on earth could Dear Wife you wanted to know if James hags spoke after he was shot but he did not speake a waurd we expect that the captaine will / draw what pay is coming to James hugs and send it to her when we get pay heare it will be a bout the 5 of august I think it is verry wrong that the goverment dose not give what they promist to the wifes and orphants of the volenters when they are killed there is 8 dollars per mounth for them and she augh to see after it or else leave it be known to some loyel citison who will see in to it for her and get it I wish that you would send me pins and needles in your next letter / as sutch things is verry hard to be got heare I lost all the things that I had when I lost my knapsack there is nothing of any importance to mention since I rote to you last We ar in the same place as yet and it dose not look much like if we ware going to move for a while yet they are all getting new close and we have got new guns called the endfield rifles we got them yesterday No more at presant from

Your affectionate and true

loveing husband John Black

 

to Mrs Marry ann Black /

 

rite sone and give

My best respects to

Micheil laery and Sarah

deary Direct as Before

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