Stone River bridg Aprile the 4^th 1864

 

Dear Rittey Ann          I take my pen in hand to ansor your kinde letter which came to hand a bout 20 minuts a go which I red with pleasure having date March the 30 I red it with pleasure and joy for I had not heard from you for a rite smart while well I can tell you that I am in tolerble good health at this time and I truley hope when those lins comes to hand tha will find you all well I have nothing strange to rite at this time our boys is all well and a doing the best that tha can or a part of us at eney rate I for one is a doing for the best or at liest I think [paper torn at fold] Rittey Ann you  said that you are a going to hav the ground broke up and lade off and then you and the children will plant the coarn I think that is the best way that you can do for I am in hops that I will be out of the servis soon a nuff to come home and take care of a nuff grass for to do us the Repoart is that our Colonel has got sixtey days of our Furlows consoledated so that will make our time out a bout the 25 fifth of July and you no I will be willing to that and if that is fals and we hav to stay till in August acordin to the way tha hav disbanded som Regt our time is up the 26 of Aug and then if we all live and hav good luck we will see each other / in a fiew days. Oh the time seams long to me since I was at home and fore munths and 22 days to serve yet for the United Stats

 

well Rittey Ann our boys is not got thare furlows yet but tha say that tha will get them 10 or 12 days so if tha do tha will starte home as soon as tha get them certen as tha do I will sende that goald pen and pen holder it is all said to be goald to it is the nisest pen and holder you ever seen and I think you will say so as soon as you see it

 

it coast me $2.00 in the way I traded and I hav bin offerd $4.00 for it and tolde if I solde it to eney one to let him hav it but I got it for you and I intend to keep it for you if I cant send it to you I will keep it till I get home [paper torn at fold] then you can see and rite with it

 

I was on gard last nite and it was cloudy and rand considerble and now it is mudey and is cool and cloudy and rande in the fore noon tho we are in a good plase and a doing as well as eney soldiers dos in this parte of the wirld

 

well I hav bloted this letter som but I guess you can read it it is rote in a scrabling maner tho as you said if mestakes made hay stacks you wold have plentey of them to feed to the stock

 

I dont see eney thing like moving yet tho we dont no what our wee may get oarders to move tho I wold like to stay hear till we start north /

 

I rote a letter to you the first day of this month. I dont no eney thing of Amey or pap or Wm Elliot I hav never got a line from them yet and if you hav let me no I cant tell what is the reason I will rite to Isaac Bridges and see if he will ansor my letter I no I backed them rite tho it may be that tha dont care for a old soldier tho tha ar the hole dependenc of our Welfare and Goverment but still tha are bad a nuff at the best Oh let me tell you I am one of them and for my part I dont think that it is a Disoner to eney one that has or dos belong to our armey and for my part I think a grate deal of our men speshely the Privets well If I never see you on this side of eternety let us try to live so that we can meet around the throne of God and sing prases to him and thare dwell for ever in Joey and peece. O let us endever to joine our harts in prarr and prase while it is conveanent that God in tender mercey bless this Nation and speadely bring this on holey Ware to a speadey close and all of us poore soldiers lay our arms down in peece and go to our homes and and Dear Companions and help rase thare children Oh this is my desier and Prarr day and nite may God help us and bless us all tell the children I send my lov to them and want to be rememberd by you all

fare well rite soon       J. W. Sanders. R. A. Sanders

                                                            and friends /

 

Conserning the land When you get the ansor from that Man Pleas let me no what he says and we will by the land if we can if he will sell let me no the prise of it and dont tell eney one a bout it so we can get the land

                                                J S

 

                                                And as to the next story you no I dont care nothing for it you said in your letter a while back that you had somthing on your minde but wold not rite it at that time if it consearns me pleas let me no you said it mite trubel me you no such things may be but I wold like to no them

 

Rite soon and often

 

I rite two letters to you one I think or at eney rate send two to whear I get one exsept we are not pade yet and dont pay before May now then six months due us then

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