Dear wife i seat myself this morning to write a few lines to let you know that i am still a live and well am as tuff as a brick and i hope this may find my dear ones at home enjoying the same blessings

it has been about a week since i have written a letter but it is not my fault for this is the first opertunity that i have had to write since the fight comminced at petersburg

we have had a rather ruff time of it but thank the lord we came through all right we cleaned the rebs out most hansomely but my dear i cant say that i ever want to see the sight again for it is a hard sight to travel for three or four miles over the bodys of dead men but thank the lord i dont think that i shall ever see another such a battle for the fighting is about done

gave up we staid in petersburg two days and we had a good time while we were there it is a very nice town but the hardest sight that i saw was to see the poor nigers and poor white people go starving about the streets and the poor little children they hung on to us as if we were their fathers beging for someting to eat i gave them my rations and went hungry myself and if i could have bought it i would have spent the last cent that i had to bought bread for them but i couldnt by it so i had to see them go away hungry

i was glad to get out of the city but we have had some hard marching since we are now camped about twentythree miles west of petersburg on the south side railroad guarding the road there is no rebel army with in twenty miles of us but how long we shall stay here i cant say but there is one thing sure i dont think that we shall have any more fighting to do in this rebelion

well my dear ma ma i have just been out to the road to see the reb prisoners go past there was about three thousand of them in the squad that has gone past and there is ten thousand more coming up this afternoon and they all say that the thing is about played out and they are glad of it

well ma you must keep up good courage and your old man will be with you befor long for my part i can travel through fire or water to see the war ended and you had arlo hear the cheer ring through the camp from the light hearted soldiers that they well soon see their dear homes soon

well ma i cant write much more this time for i have to go to meeting we have preaching every sunday give my best respects and kind wishes to all and tell cate and mother and Jack that i well write to them as soon as i can get time kiss my pets for me so good by for this time this from your husband