Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Civil War Letter



(The three dots (…) in the transcription indicate a word or words that are unreadable to me)

State of Va. Camp Near Petersburg Oct. 17th 1864

Dear Mother

I seat my self this evening to drop you a few lines to inform you I am well an I truly hope those few lines may reach you an find you an all the rest well dear Mother I can say to you Bill is not well he is poorly … rite the Mr. Burch was going home it seems you an Father has for got us but I will rite a little … Mother. I am going to send some money buy him [Mr. Burch] I will send $100 and I want you to pay it to Ann Burr and get her to bring the note to you and you get it creddete on the note an you be shure an get the note as I don't no where father is in camp or not you must … send to it not … to hear it with old Mr. Malory at the C H or he will send it to you if he can if he don't send it to you ask … Malory about it when you rite let me no if you don't get it or not …sent $100 dollars to pay on that note you will get that also you must be shure and rite to us and let us hear from you. I want to no if … is at home or not if he is at home I want him to rite to me and giv me all the news I want him to send me leather enough to fix my boots. I can get the raw leather here the government furnish us leather but not upper ther is shoemakers detailed here if he will send it to me Mr. Burch will … bring it to me. When he come back so I must come to a close for this time. So I still remain yours as ever til death. W. C. Purvis to Sarrah Purvis rite as soon as you get this letter fail not


I'm still working to decipher the handwriting in this letter; but, the primary message of the letter is evident in the portion already transcribed.

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