Camp near Fredicksburg Va. February 25 the
1863
Loveing wife and children and Mother
It is through the mercy of God that I seat
my seff down to answer yo kind leter wich came to hand yesterday
wich found me well I was mity glad to her from yo an her yo was
well. I am well to day I am sorry to her a bout our stock dien Gilford
is well I hop when theas lines come to hand thae find you all well
an all my friends and nabors. Tell Martha John Beard was sent to
the hospital an I hant herd from him sence. T.M. Scarbor was sent
of [off] to the hospitel and I hant herd from him sence. We have
had several casses of the smallpox in our Rigment. I have bin vaccinated.
I wood be mity glad to sea yo all but I don’t now when that
will be. You talk a bout jumpin ten rail fence. Hide out little
ons yo mother has got a new set of springs. I got the things yo
sent me by Sanders. I was mity glad to git them.
I made them ginger cakes git harder. I don’
need enny thing jest now but a cote. Send it to me as sun as yo
can. make it so it will buten all the way up. Before I will nede
a nother shart after a while if I live But I will let yo now it.
I want you to pay that off for Pop Seolin. I think Nelson Osborn
for got the note. I don’t think I have pad it If you have got
the monny to spar Yo sed yo had pade a note of that Hemphill had
on me. Send me word what note that was. Be shore to keep sum monny
for yo own use. I sent $30 today by Captin. I have had to spend
a heap of money for sumthin to get a little to eat. It takes a heap
of monny to git a little to eat. We have had 5 or 6 snows her. It
was a bout nee deep. Generally we have plenty her now. We have big
snow fallin her that got out hole [whole] Brigades in snow balls.
Yo jest ought to sed [seed] {have seen} them.
You need not think that I have forgot you
nor run off the east. Yu sent me word to send the_______ _______
______ -_____ ______there handt many days pases over my head but
what I expect more or less I _____to meeting _____ ________ _____
pray and do the best I can I went to meeting the other Sunday the
topic was on the ______ the 13th Chapter and 13th verse. I want
yo to do the best yo can with all the things. Tel Mun and Carline
to go ahead and work and make all they can and do right and mind
Mother and Immelee. I hant cut my ______I_______I______them I want
to see you all mity bad and I hope the time well come when we can
meet and shake hands once more on earth if not I hope we will meet
where parting will be no more. I want us all to live so we can meet
each other in that better world there to meet yo and my good old
Mother and blessed little children_______ ______you, mother and
_____ ____ _____the ___________ ______ _____and send me a little
butter.
If you can make any trade to make eny thing
do it to get another yoke of steers. If not do the best yo can Yo
can tell better that I can. Rite soon and rite all the news both
good and bad. Rite to me whether I do or not. Yo must excuse me
for not writing _____So no more at present but, ________ ________
Yo loving husband until death V. Sartain to Immelee Sartain and
Mother and Children.
Mr. Dawkins and Mr bray I talk about whipping
and ______ my _______ some_______ and will give you a _____ yo jest
ought to been herein time of the fite__________ with me _______
the bombshells and bulets was a flying all round thick as hail.
I tell you it is a rough time to hear grones of wounded and sean
the men fallin all round. I did not get hurt. I would like to see
you all mighty well and John dove and all of my friends. Tell John
to keep that little __________ . So for yo
all well for this time V. Sartain to Dawkins
Bray and Dove .
