Camp near Bell Plain Va

March 5^th 1863

 

Dear Parents tis with much Pleasher that I Right thes few Lines to let you no that I am well and hope thes few lines will find you the same to Well I have got the box and the boots to I got them the last day of Febuary both to gether and every thing in the box was as good as it was when it left home if not beter to and the boots was jest the fit for me and they was dam good ons to for I was oferd 9 dolars for them bfore I had but them on to my feat But I oudent see it jest then for we / hafto pay from 8 to 10 dolars hear for dam poor ons to Well I dident get drunk that when the rum com for I was on gard and it woodent do for me to But I shant tell you what I did the next day But I got the hull Company drunk as hell tho and I could if sold the can of whiskey for 10 dolars in to minets if I had sed so But eny thing that is sent me from home I shant sell for no money Well I got your letter dated march the first last night jest after I had gonto bed and you prais my colt so i think you had beter not sell hur for it will do me as much good to drive the best horse in town as eney on elce so i guess you may / keep hur if you can jest as well as not for if I live and nothing hapens to me I shall com home som time to try hur spead by the sid of som of them Goshen or Brandon girls with my arm around ther neck or lester Halas girls eather so jes take good care of hur so she will make them all stue when she coms out with me behind hur with whip in the socket and tail over the dashe Well dont forget to send me on of levetts 6½ dolar watches by John Naylor Well I dont see eny signs of coming home very soon yet But ther has ben reborted that they are gointo comence to let 5 out of each 100 go home for 20 or 30 / each all of the time so if they do so I may get home som time in the sumer But dont no sirten Well I dont think of eny more

 

            So good By for this

Time

            John W Pitridge

To his father & Mother

Brothers & Sister

to

answer this soon

Good day

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