Camp Prentis

Rolla Mo July the 20^th A.D. 1863

 

My Dear Wife I am blest with the privolig of taking my pen in hand in to drop you a fiew lins to let you no that I got a letter from you last eavning which I red with the gratest of pleasure I was glad to hear from you but sorry to hear that you was porley tho I hope you will soon be well

 

I will tell you I was mestaken on the name of this camp I rote to you that the name was Camp wolff but the name is Camp Prentis

 

well we hav had good luck we are all well at this time I hav had my helth vary wel so fare and I truley hope when those lins comes to hand tha will find you all well and doing well we are a bout due west of Rolla just in site I was mestaken a littel but mestakes dont make hay tacks if tha did we wold hav lots of them

 

well Rittey Ann you said you had heard of that money that Robert bool took for you and you had gave Andrew ridenour too dollars for to pay the frate on that box we sent home I want you to let me no how mutch the box coast so that / the boys that sent with me can pay thare parte I think you surley hav got the things that I sent to you well you spoke a bout the mare eye a being pretey near out and I recon you hav cured it you never said eney thing a bout it I hope it is better well Rittey Ann you seam to be skeard about the bushwhackers around thare I hope the men will not let them stay thare I hope tha will kill them wheare ever tha are found bang them up and let them rot and the buzerd pick thare bones

 

if I was thare I wold help put them Copper heds out in a hurey Norman king is goan home on a furlow and W^m Perking and John Norton all went to gether on 20 days furlow and as soon as tha get back John king and me will come home and Jack Wilkenson we will come a bout the 15 of August or a bout that time we hav had a rite smarte of wrane sinc we come hear the wind is nice and pleasant now hear the helth is tolerbel good

 

vicksburg is ours with 33 thousan men one hunderd and too canon and som seag peases and severel thousan stands of armes and poart hudson is ours with 12 thousan prisners severel peeces of cannon and severel thousand stand of arms and brag is / whiped Rosencrans armey is in posesion of Chatinugha whear the rebels talked of moving thare Capitel lee is badley whiped and Meeds Armey in persuite of him he is retreating to Ritchmond he lost a larg potion of his armey before he croast the rivver Mead Mead tore lees armey all to peases in all the prisners that wee took is between 80 and one hunderd thousand sinc the engagement comenst at vicksburg and Oh may God help us and preserv us from all danger thru the remander of this warefare and may god help bring this ware to a close speadly so we can all get home and liv in peec oh wont that be a hapey time when we can be to gether with our little Children to hear thare feet pat around over the floar and hear thare sweete sound of thare voises oh I cant exspress my feelings I now I never wanted to come home as bad in my life as I do now well Rittey Ann I now if I was with you and the Children you wold be some pleasure to me well I must close for this time I remane yours untill deth fare well to all

            John W Sanders          Rittey Ann Sanders /

 

tell the Children I send my best respects to them and I send my lov to them and when I come I will bring them presants for them

 

well I will close for this time

 

fare well to all

 

write soon and often Good by

            Mr John Sanders

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