May the "30" 1862

benton barracks St louis, mo

 

Dear wife i one more time tak my pen in hand to in forme you that i am well too day and i truley hope when those fiew lins comes to hand tha will find you all well and a doing well the wether is beautiful hear the rodes and streets is dustey and every thing looks prospers hear i hav nothing strang to rite our boys is all againing thare helth we hav plentey to eat we get letes unions and milk and tea coffey beef rice flour and bakery bread bacon our quarter master has giv up all of our mules and wagons and tha talk of giving up / our tents som says that we will stay hear untill peece is mad halloc says he will try to bring the presant war to a close at this fite at Corinth he stats his armey is agetting thare helth and is in good hops of ganing a grate victory over the rebels he stats that he taks prisners more or les and tha say tha are feed on half rashens and he thinks that he can take Corinth vary handey and he expected to hav a generel in gagement by the next morning that was yesterday so i expect that tha are fiting now at Corinth

 

i hav nothing mutch to rite at this time i want you to rite to me what is the caus that you dont / rite to me i hav not got eny word from you since may the 7 and i hav rote "3" letters and sent to you since and i sent one by elick king ane Samul kenedy went home and i sent one by him to you and wm Colier he went home when we was at alton Ills and i told him for to tell you that i was well and that i wanted you to rite to me and i sent "40" dollars in gould to you and i thought you wold write as soon as Colier com home

 

My Dear wife i hope you hav not for got me yet i want to hear from you every week ane and i wat i wold like to get to com home to see you and the children i can not tell when i can get to com home / but i still liv in hopes

 

Rittey Ann i want you to rite all about how you are a getting along and how wm ketch is agetting along how the stock is doing and whether you hav a prospect of a good crop or not

 

I want you children to be good and learn your books so that when i com home you can read your nice littel books wm Serat is well James is well write whether wm hampshire has com home yet i must close dont get out of hart but still hope for the better and pray for our inimes that tha may turn and do rite So fare well to all

 

J. W. Sanders to                                                                      and the

Rittey Ann Sanders                                                                 Children

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