Oct the 13

 

            Dear Sisters i sit down to write a few lines to you to let you no that we are all well at preasant and i hope when these few lines come to hand they will find you both enjoying the same blessing well Julia and Sarah we have been a making lassies we made to Hundred galons last week it takes me and Em to shim and mit to keep up fiars and pap to grind and Scot to pull out stalks and talor to split wood

 

well i had to quit a litle bit for who should knock at the door but bob he came home on a five day ferlough he has had the loung fever and he has now got the chils well Jim came home to weeks / ago to day on a twenty four hours feroughs well they are a going to town to marrow so we wont have to skim to marow well i must come to a close for this time so good by for this time E E Forder to Sarah A Forder and Julia mackmulen write son and often

 

Dear sarah i now sit down to rite you a few lines wich i hope will find you all well as i am thankful to tell you wee are all well at this time we so busey wee cant take time to rite or aney thing els but make lasses and think of our poor boys I would give a good deal if i new wear / the are to night but i dont know wither the are dead or aliev for wee cant hear eney thing reliebl sinc the fite and wee dont know wear poor will was in it or not but wee no jim was thear but wee have never heard from will sinc he left indinaplas poor boy i feel like i cant bare it but it seems like i have to bar everey thing now 2 boys in the armey and one in his grave o god help me for i have no wear els to look for help now well sarah i dont know wat to rite to you for i no how you feel so bad that you cant hardley bar it / but wee want you to cum in hear and stay while will is gon aney how for wee dont know how wat may hapen to him and if he should be sick pap will have to go to him for no bodey els could get him hom but his father and then you would be hear but i dont like to say much a bout it for i dont want to hurt your feelinges a bout it in aney way onley wee would like for you to cum and be with us wee would like to see poar little litse i must now cum to a clos so good by for the present rit soon and give our love to liley when you rite from so good by hoping to reamin your lovingMother untill deth Maria Forder

SOURCES