Memphis Tenn                                    Sept 1^st            62

                        John Griffen Scoville to Ruth Scoville

 

Dear wife and children i write again i am happy to inform you that i am well hopeing and praying these few lines may reach you in good health and peacefulness (monday morning 2 oclock) i wanted to write yesterday but we moved a short distance and i had so much to do that i could not get time. i cant write much now but i will write something. O could i but know how many children i have left on earth at this time it would give me so much hapyness yes hapyness for i suppose there is hapyness heare in this life on earth o when i see men with there companions and children injoying the pleasures of life together hand in hand it sites me to gone by days never to return but i may live to see happyness yet if it is the will of him who rules all things him who has died for poor sinners o my god must i be away from friends, home, pleasure, so sweet. O if i was there i think i could tell some few things some suffering scenes of the life that the soldier under goes but i must not complain tis my own dooings that i am in the army but may the good lord forgive me i feel some forgiveness o yes i feel as if i was a cristian traveling from earth to heaven that happy place whare friends meet to part no more o meet me there dearest [paper stain] much trouble hear belo and there is no glory you know it has been a long long time since i left you o i must write on some other subject yes for it grieves me to think of past life

 

onmipitent god of mercy                                yes i must write something

bless all dear ones and may                            letter calculated to

i mete them again on earth                             console and happyfy 

 

well it is getting daylight and i must stop for this time and make a fire and get breakfast (so fast as i can) Ruth what did you have for breakfast the 1 day of Sept pleas tell me for i had a dream and dreamed that

 

                                                                                    Memphis Tennesee Sept 2..62

September is a pleasent month is it not

            Good morning sweet Ruth Laura Philander Princess Sylva and (little sweet pretty good affectionate playful innocent agreable angelick ever blessed rossy pink of a darling) yes good morning I am well that is tolerable well. O could i but know that my little Sylva was well. now dear Ruth the one of my choice the one that has soothed my fevered brow the one that has camed my acheing heart pleas put confidence in one that is far away in the army he will come to your relief yes he will if the good lord spares his life (life that is a word that oftimes has put my mind at work (death is another) but eternal life is the life eternal life with the angelic band that has gone to that happy place O could i but see my dear family again maby i will before long i hope so

[paper stain]                                                                            letters nowadays no not many

                                                                                    JGS to R Scoville

well breakfast is over and                                                       children and friends

i am going to quit cooking and                                               if i have any

go in the ranks or go home                                                                 one and

if i dont get some office                                                                      perhaps…

                        that will pay me yours forever

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