Jefferson Barracks Mo

Aug the 2^th 1864

 

dear Rittey Ann I take my pen in hand to ansor your letter that I recived this morning from you I was glad to hear from you but sorry to hear that you was sick I hope you are well now I think I am doing well I am well only my eys and I think tha are on the mend one is pretey near well my left eye is the worst but it is a grate deal better than it was when I first came to the hospital I cold not see but little out of it the granulation was so large in it that the Docter had to burn them out he just tutched them with the blue stone and I think tha are mending as fast as tha can the granulation is white lumps comes out on the leds of the eye / and scratches the eyeball and will put the eye out if tha are not kild he tutched them and then he taks a fine cloth and gets all of the blue stone off before he puts the eye led down I think he will cure my eys

 

well I spoke a bout coming home on a furlow if I had my descriptiv list I wold come home a bout the last of this month I cold be discharged the 26 of this month that maks three year for me I will no day after to marrow that will be thursday 5 will go to Hed quarters on that day if I live and keep able to go and then I will no all a bout how I will hav to do I will rite to you before long and let you no a nuff on that 

 

I think if I live to come home and hav good luck I will be prepared for the rebels and Copperheds I will by me a good revolver before I leav the sittey and I will try to take care of my self and if tha giv me a half a chance I will tend to some of them when our boys gets home we will clean our Countery out then let me tell you tha had better leav before we get home for we will make the Copperheds and rebs tremble in thare shoes if tha are not goan when we come home I will go at the latest our to kill one of those men you nead tell every bodey how we ame to do keep this to your self we aut and we will not let one of them stay in our Countery / or tha will whip us and I no tha will find truble before tha get thrue with the Old twentey thirde tha cant scear us tha tha may kill us we will rule the Countery or we will dye at our post trying

 

I dont hardly think I will go south to my Redgiment I will come home as soon as I can so I remane

yours as ever truley

                        J.W. Sanders               write soon

                                                            tell the

                        R. A. Sanders              Children

                                                            houdey for me

                                                tell them to hav

                                    me a big fat Shanghi

                                    Chicken hine leg cooked

                                    up to eat when I come

                                    home   write soon       fare well

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