Syracuse Mo Cooper Co Mosouria

            Feb 20..62

 

Dear Wife and children I write to you again i expect i do not as ofton and as much news as i mite I am well for me that is i injoy midling health hopeing and pray and trusting divine gooness that you are the same (health what a blessing) well i must write the truth at all times i have indeavord to write the truth for all most two years. well i was on gard last night some of our men feched some secesh prissoners 7 in number lieu Grimes was officer of the day he orderd us to load at will 6 of us 3 on a side he said if any of them went to brake ranks to shoot and be shure and hit we marched them to the gard house. the gard house is a hard place (thats..so) we have not been in any battle yet and not much prospect of getting in any. we gard we are noted for garding we have lots of trouble with our own men whis…whiskey..Whiskey O the dreddful conciquences of intemperance /

 

I will write to you my dear companion as long as we are a part from each other yes i will write ofton 1 or 2 each week 1 or 2 letters i mean it is beautiful wether to day but the (nites nights) are verry cold i suffer much with cold O i feal for you i know that you must have hard times to get along Ruth you have not written to me what you had to eat now tell pleas tell me what you have and how you get what you have. O you have told me yes common senence tells me you work O yes work two hard Phy and Prinney must help you more

 

            And that Old John the one that has so abused his dear family must do more to relieve those tender hands yes those ar hand that i held the by when i farther Stit said what he said…

 

            Pray for me remember me for get not the time the log the river the birds the trees that witnest to our vows vows of affection and reunion (O be not sad dearest) / No be not sad for it hurts the to greave and thou knoweth it

 

            O for the wheals of time to bring the welcom day a day of rest, rest of my troubled heart. it feals for the and those dear off spring of ours would to god i was with you now but i am heare and what for god only knows well i am in the service of my country and my god but far from dear old native land land of liberty

 

            yes far from home and loved ones there and all those seans of beauty and grandure the trees the birds the sunny slope the peaceful glenn, write ofton i will not rite

 

                                                                                                More now for supper is ready

 

Syracuse Feb 21          Good morning Ruth a pleasant morning this talk to me please speak to a lonely soldier one that is hily esteamed by his fellow soldiers. it is 4 in the morning i did not rest good my head pains me i think i am not well yester day i had to leave ranks and retire to a grove near by and sit down O well i do not think it is much but a bad cold that i have 3 or 4 weeks past / this is not ruled so you must not critisize i write a goodeal but do write poor yet O children learn learn learn yes learn to read and write and spell and sipher i now see the all importance of education ignorance has kept me from being an officer in this war well i may be one yet i can read some, write a little

 

            Ruth if i get a discharge before the war is over i will not get my bounty ($100) they have had several battels within in 15 or 20 milds of us but not caled on us yet that is we have had no ingagement

 

kiss the Children for John yes thats a good girl

 

(let me know when you get money from me so i will feal that i have done alittle good for you yes toty)

 

Well i must close this letter do you get lots of letters from me do you, or can you read them they are so poorly written some of them do you have plenty of food and clothing i must send to you all the means that i can spare yes deprive my self to releave the delicate lovely sweet form that i have so mis used

            John 2 Ruth

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