Febuary the 22^th 1863

 

My Dear Wife i a gane take my pen in hand to adrese you a fiew lins in ansur to your letter which was dated Feb the 14 and 17 which i gladly recived and red with grate pleasure but was sorry to hear that Jacob was sick but i truley hope when those lins comes to hand tha will find you all well and doing well Rittey Ann you wanted me to come home to se you [smudge] rent the land but Rittey Ann i cant get to come i rote a letter the other day and i stated for you to rent the to keth or som bodey / for i cannot get to come home now and i dont no when i will get to come our Capt said that he cold not giv eney bodey a pase or leav to go home he said that he cold not giv the parold boys leav to go home and if tha go tha will hav to go without leav I am tolerbel well tho i am not stout yet i hav bin puney for a rite smarte while and i dont no whether i will ever be well eney more or not our boys is generely well as far as i no at presant

 

you wanted to no whether i thought you had better sell the stears if you sell them i dont no how you wold get a / long how wold you get your wood you no tha are a grate help to you and i think that you had better keep them i dont no when i will get to com to se you and the children i may never get to se you eney more in this life but i hope when i leav this world i will meete you in a better world then this i must now close for this time fare well

                                                John W. Sanders

                                                Rittey Ann Sanders /

 

a fiew lins to children learn your books and be good to your mother and keep in good hart for i think i will com home to see you after a while so fare well for a while rite as soon as you get this letter fare well

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