MySource:Jlanoux/Captain John Jackson Shaffer's Civil War Letters

Vicksburg May 25th 1862

Dear Wife---

Our regiment is now at this place. I am quite well & hope this may find you the same. I can well imagine your troubles at having our lovely parish overrun by our enemies. Under the circumstances I would rather for you (if you can send word to John or Mr. Canty) to go out back of Baton Rouge. I will try and send word to John to go after you. I think you had better try and send him word also. Oh how I long for a letter from home with all the news. If you can get off try and leave our house in charge of someone, say Mr. Baker or Mr. Tennent. If you go up take my two horses Mima & Wash. I then may have a chance to hear from you and come to see you. You know I cannot return to Terrebonne. I am an exile from all dear to me and I wish I could see John for five minutes. I would start him for you immediately. The federal fleet may attack this place soon. If they do I hope our guns may repulse them. Well dear I have no time to say any more now. Do not let our countrys troubles trouble you to much. Let our property go. With you & our liberty I will be contented. Do not let any opportunity pass without writing to me. Direct them to Jackson Miss 26th LA regiment. Give my love to our dear little children. I can imagine how anxious they are to see their Pa. Tell Johnny he must be a good boy & Pa will bring him a nice gun. I suppse dear you have plenty of company -- I hear that no one is left in Houma. You must be kind and liberal with anyone that has thus been driven from home. If Mrs. Baker wishes to live out on our place let her have it and welcome. Perhaps you could get Ben to go and see John in regards to you going to B.R.

I have nothing more now my respects to all. I yet have faith in our cause if men do their duty---

Your husband

J. J. Shaffer

Vicksburg (Saturday Morning) June 14th 1862

My Dear Wife---

Your very kind and interesting favour of the 2nd inst. came safely here yesterday. I can truly say that I never opened a letter with greater eagerness. I was rejoiced to hear from home and that all were well. Our dear children have been spared whilst others in the immediate vicinity have been stricken down. How grateful we should feel for this preservation. I assure you I feel for Leonard & S. Le Blanc. They take it quite hard. I hope dear you will keep a watchful eye over our sweet children. I have a world of confidence in your ability and devotion. I am surprised to hear that you have not seen any letters from me. I have no doubt you have received them before now. I assure you I have embraced every occasion. I think I have written five or six letters since the one by Andrew McCollum. In some of them I was anxious for you to go to your father's but now I think you are as well off at home. The Yankees are in strong force at Baton Rouge. They encounter death and destruction whenever they attempt to go into the county. I have not heard one word from Mr. Canties since I left there. I suppose John belongs now to some of the partisan companies. Well dear, all the reports about our regiment having been in a battle is false. We are yet in this city. We have some sickness in the regiment. Many of the men are having the measles. Some of them die on account of their imprudence. I hope you all begin to feel more secure since we are concentrating a force at the bay. I hope the R.R. may be rendered entirely useless. We still hold this position, how long I cannot say. No gunboats in sight today. I sent Father a bundle of papers I will not repeat the news in this letter as you can read them. I suppose dear, you are quite loansome at times. Yet, you must bear up under these adversities. Liberty is a pressous thing, and cannot be attained without suffering and privation. Our liberty is yet within our grasp. With it peace and prosperity will again smile upon our once happy land. I hope many of our young men will turn out now and swell our vanity. I assure you, I could not remain home now. I must do my might in this contest. You must excuse me dear, when I say I had but one objection to your letter. It was three pages long, and yet it appeared so short, Write me a good long letter next time. How will you do for a currency. I suppose Confederate money will not circulate now. I ______ it good far better than similar paper issued by the United States. You must then rely upon our homes to furnish us with the necessaries of life. Who is overseeing at our place's is he eligible or married? How does he get along? You must get Lizzie to move out and stay with you, as I presume she is sick of Houma for the present. How is our crop? I wish Father would have great attention paid to the hogs. If he could get someone to mind them continually it would be a fine thing. I long dear for the day when this cruel and unnatural war will be brought to a close. You may notice much in the papers I send you about foreign intervention. I do not place much reliance in the accounts. I think however, if we have intervention at all we will have it in the next sixty days. You all must not think the Southern Confederacy is conquered. Many a hard battle must yet be contested. Years will not determine this question, if the North persists in this unholy work of subjugation. I have now only this page left. I will try and fill it to with something of interest. You may rest assured that the North is getting about as sick of this war as we are. Much complaints are being heard from the democratic party north, the gap between them and the ultra abolitionist is daily widening. I look for discord among our enemy soon. The federal army in the nest [west?] has suffered from disease to an alarming extent. I hope yellow jackets will not forget them in New Orleans this summer. I was sorry to hear of Dr. Helmish misfortune. I suppose it goes quite hard with the Madam as she was used to everything fine & it is our duty in cases like that to help each other. I hope you will do something for her. I notice dear what you say about soldier clothes. I am not now in want of anything, I find it an advantage to have as few clothes as possible. I will let you know when I want them. If you can have some company I know times would pass off more agreeable. You must call on Father when you want anything. I know he will divide with you. How is Uncle Wood. I suppose he did not have an account of the Yankees tell him I have written him a letter and I expect an answer. When King the man that carries this letter proposes to carry the mail for our regiment. So you all will have an opportunity to write often. When you receive this you inquire of Mrs. Amother Aycock when Mr. King started for the regiment and he will tell you. You can then have your letters ready. ______ respect to Mr. Aycock our ______, tell him I hope yet to clean out the Yankees. Well dear some have the faculty ______ news then they can can say in conversation. I assure you this is not ruse just now. A few hours in your sweat ['sic'] company would be indeed a blessing. I could recount a hundred things that I cannot put in a letter. I expect to attend Service on tomorrow at the Methodist Church. The reverend E.K. ______ will deliver a sermon for the benefit of the soldiers. He is an able man and I expect a powerful discourse. Well dear I close this letter. Kiss dear little Jhny & Sis for Pa. You did not dear sa[y] a word about your condition. I often think of you, I however, take it for granted that you are doing well. I hope you will take good care of your health and make all arrangements to receive every attention at that moment. Thomas was unwell from a stiff neck he went out to Mrs. Bennet at Summit for a few days. I am expecting him back. Jon must tell the negroes that I expect to be back before long. Tell Dow if he is faithful that he will never regret it. I will reward him for it I believe your girl Mima is truly faithful. I would like to see her treated well. I do not know what we would do without her. You must send down to Mrs. Buford's and get Jhnn's little goats that I got for him; I know they would amuse him. What do our faithful servants think about the outrages that have been committed in our parish. How often does father visit you? I do not know what he will do with our sugar. Give the poor as much as they may need. I hope you will not like [lack?] sugar for preserves this year. Well dear good G. my paper is about out. I send you a warm embrace, and a sweet kiss.

Yours with devotion,

J. J. S.

I send you a very nice Confederate bill for your money.

In camp fifteen miles east of Vicksburg

August 23rd 1862

My Dear Wife---

Mr. King arrived here yesterday with a regular mail for the regiment. I received your kind and affectionate favour of the 11th inst., with the socks and mit[t]s. I was really glad to hear from home as your last letter was dated on the 2nd inst. Your letters are such a comfort, they make me as happy as I can be under the circumstances. I assure you this separation is a dreadful punishment. I can never become accustomed to it. I am glad to hear that Brooks arrived safe, and that Lizzie was so happy. I presume however her little spell of pleasure will not last long. Brooks' time is up today. Brooks is wrong when he says that I could come home as well as not. He is not well acquainted with the regulations of the army. We occupy entirely different positions. Brooks has not done much soldiering yet. Rest assured that when I have an opportunity I will come home immediately. Oh the dear little children, I am delighted to hear they are well and happy. What a world of happiness we find in these interesting cares! I know you would be so lonely without them. If you have time try and learn Jhnny and Sis them Beas[?]. I like to hear them lisping their letters. I notice what you say about clothes. Now you must not think I am out of clothes entirely. I have enough just now. I will let you know when I want some. I am so much pleased with the nice socks, they are so soft and pleasant, they will last me a long time. I believe I have changed my mind about the pants, if you have not made them, do not. I will get military pants up here. I sent you one hundred dollars by Mr. Brooks, also twenty dollars a few days since by Mr. Roger. Have you received the amounts? H_____ all that I have heard of old Giddings I hate the man, without seeing him. I am sorry that he ever came on the place. I suppose that Jim and Dow are entirely gone. I count them so. I am sorry in the case of Dow, I had formed an attachment for him, I do not think he would have left me on any condition. I am glad that Ben is out home now. I think he can fill the place well enough, as we only want to make bread and pork. If father intends letting him remain tell him I will pay him well for his trouble. Your trouble with Aaron was singular. I hope he may recover. I think he is now a good negro and will do well, if he has a chance. You must not tell the negroes that I blame Giddings, it can do no good, and might do some harm. I left the place in father's charge. I know he is capable and I expect him to manage it properly. I am really surprised at Anne. Strange things will happen. I wish her success. Tell Ben to pay particular attention to our hogs. I wish he would ask father for a half-grown chap to mind them. I believe Thomas has asked him to send up another boy up here -- Sammy has been sick several times, then we have no cook. He has no time to go in the country to get things for the mess. I suppose that Thomas thought he had more than he could feed at home.

I am really glad that you have heard from home. Where was Mrs. Porter when she wrote to you? Did she say whether John had received my letter or not? Where was John when he was taken prisoner? What company did he belong to? You must not be uneasy about him. He is a man and will take care of himself. I presume he is paroled before this time. Our attack on B.R. was successful as far as our land troops were concerned, but owing to the failure of our sum we did not accomplish our object. I think their loss was heavier than ours. You spoke in your last letter about going to B.R. I do not think now you will be able to do it. If possible at some future time, I will try and get you to come out to Mr. Bonnette at Summit, Miss. This to will be hard for you to do, when our couriers tell us it is difficult for them to pass. I hope you will try and content yourself at home. We must all suffer privations in this eventful struggle. I think as long as you can be away from our enemies you are doing well. I think there wil be some confederate troops in Terrebonne and Lafourche in a few weeks which will give you more security. Since my last, nothing has transpired of much importance. I am yet convinced of our final success! I expect strong intelligence from Virginia, and the west in a few days. I hope our army may again be triumphant. You must not think that we fare bad in camp. We get all the substantials, with a few extras we get from the country. We have butter most of the time. Do you get plenty milk & butter now? You must get some Texas flour if possible. I send you the money I mentioned for this purpose. I have more than I want and will send you small amounts often -- so if some of the letters get lost it will not be much. I wish I could send you some of the beautiful peaches we have up here. We get melons by the cart load. Some of them sell for 1.50 each. I have saved a number of the seeds and will try to have some nice fruit. I have learned from the old farmers around here how to manage the orchard. I suppose our Japan plum trees will soon be in bloom. The small ones in the garden I suppose are doing fine. We have just heard that Mrs. Thompson is again [a] mother. What a house full they will have in twenty years more. I wish them luck and a hundred thousand each. I believe Thomas is sick of this war. I believe he wants to skylark around with the young ladies. He often wishes this war were over. Tell Ben he will soon be a conscript, I believe in another year. Have the officers got old Clark and his boys yet? All such fellows should not be trusted in the militia but sent up here where they could be kept straight. Mr. King has just been in my tent giving me all the news about home. He says that J'hnny is always on the lookout for him, to get a letter from Pa. He says that William and Giddings had a quarrel, what was it about? I have just seen a paper from Mobile. I see in it that Edward Murphy (______ father) was killed in Virginia in the Battle of Cedar Run -- He was a Lieutenant in the Louisiana's Guard Artillary. Poor fellow he died in a good cause. How did Mr. H_____ take it about his suns death. I was really sorry to see him die, but with the facilities we had it could not be helped. He had pneumonia. You must give them plenty sugar and molasses -- give also to anyother ['sic'] poor people that may be in want. I tell you this thing war is a terrible thing when forced on an unoffending people. It is so expensive. The men have drawn rations every third day (except fresh beef) which they get every morning. Think now of five hundred regiments some to[?] larger than this. Then the pay to officers and men is large. I suppose it is more than twenty five thousand a month in this regiment. I hope you have tried my plan for making bread. I know you will be pleased with it, it is simple and pure. Have you heard anything of De Jennings yet. I believe his wife is in Jackson yet such news will go hard with her, she appears to think the world of him. We expect four or five thousand exchanged confederate prisoners at Vicksburg in a few days. They have been in prison in the western states and are to be convoyed down the river. I suppose they will join General Braggs army in the noth ['sic']. How glad they ust be to get back to their friends. You will see in the papers where a Texan officer was taken prisoner at Fort Donaldson, and how his young wife followed him through Yankeedom into the very jaws of Fort Warren, where she shared with him his captivity! What an illustration of womans love and devotion. If we had our crop of sugar and molasses up here we could realize quite a fortune. I was once on the ______ of sending a portion of the crop to Vicksburg. If I had done so I could now get good prices. Sugar is with [worth?] 15 cents and molasses seventy-five cents. ______ can we say more about this horrible and unnatural war that has now ______ for nearly two years. It appears hard on us being we are an unoffending people struggling for liberty, property, our wives, children and everything dear to man. We are not fighting for glory or conquest but against tyranny and oppression more galling than any ever recorded by history. This one [No one?] can make predictions in regards [to] the duration of the war. I feel assured however of one thing. I am confident that the federal government is now making its last monster effort to crush out what it chooses to call a rebellion. It has called for three hundred thousand more troops, admitting that they get this number they are not that much stronger than they were six months ago, whilst we are much stronger. Every thing tells me that we will succeed. I would believe it should our armies all be driven into one single state! Well dear I have written you a rather long letter. I have nothing more now. Tell Ben he must get Jhnies little colt up. You must try and get him a little saddle. Give Jhny, Sis and sweet little black eyes and hair Pa's love. Kiss them all for me. I would send them all some little ______, but have none out here. I think of you so often and would [be] so happy to return home, but dear you know it is a duty that keeps me here. A duty that [I] owe to my country, to you and to my children. Other[s] may evade this duty [letter ends here; possibly a missing page]

Dear Wife.

After a protracted siege of 47 days Vicksburg succumbed to federal authorities on the 4th inst. The garrison made a gallant defense and only surrendered on account of starvation. We lived on quarter rations for six weeks -- Many of us having to eat mule, dog, rats, roots, & herbs to sustain life. Oh! You cannot imagine the amount of endurance and suffering of the garrison. Many a brave man fell at his post. Major W. W. Martin and Capt. F. G. Winder are among the killed. I am thankful to a Kind Providence for my preservation. But oh! When I think of that hail of iron and lead for six long weeks of the [p]ains [d]eaths escapes that I made. I almost tremble now at what might have been your condition, a widower. Your brother -- Thomas Brooks and Ben are safe. We surrendered conditionally. The army will be paroled and then move out of the federal lines. We cannot take up arms again until duly exchanged. The loss to the Confederacy here is immense. Since the federal army landed at Port Gibson, Miss. we have lost in killed, wounded & prisoners -- over 25,000 men with all their equipment and 150 pieces [of] cannon, Rest assured as soon as I am paroled I will use every power to meet you and my dear children again. If I cannot come to you I will go as far as possible and you must come to me. I will let you hear from me, when I get nearer to you. War is a dreadful thing. What distresses and misery has been entailed upon this land? God grant that I may never again witness the scenes that I have. I could write more but it is useless. My love to all. Embrace our dear children for an affectionate father and husband -- My constant prayer is that I may meet you soon, Edmund McCollam is safe.

Ever your devoted husband

J.J. Shaffer

Recvd August 7th 1863

J.J. Shaffer            J. F. Saunders

I have just arrived at N. Orleans, all well sister Jane is improving.

J. S. Cantey

My love to all,

Mr. L. H. Thompson --

You are welcome to peruse the within letter. Please let it reach my family immediately. My love to your family.

Yours truly, J. J. Shaffer

The following persons from Thibodaux & vicinity are safe.

Capt. Lagard
Lt. Navarre
Lt. Guyon
Lt. Legendre
Capt. Webber
Lt. Lablanc
" Guidry
" P. P. Lablanc
" Leonard
Capt. W. A. Bisland
Lt. C. Dasfit
" Charles Dasfit
" G. S. Easton
" P. R. Bisland
Lt. R. C. Martin
" P. B. Martin
" J. P. Martin

Camp Moore May 5th 1864

Dear Minerva---

I reached here on yesterday -- our regiment has left for Jackson Miss. I will set off today for that place at 10 o'clock. I am quite well & hope this will find you the same. You must tell father to have ______ ______ of my place planted in corn. I hope he succeeded in getting Mr. Babbin for an overseer. I have had rather a pleasant trip thus far & hope it may continue --

My love to all kiss Jhny and Sis for Pa.

Your husband

J. J. Shaffer

Direct your letter to me at Opelousas care of Rev Orama Malanson.

Opelousas May 26th 1864

Dear Wife---

I have already written you a letter since the arrival of young McCollam. I read your kind letter by him, with the photograph. I can assure you my delight was unbounded. It was the first letter from you since I left home. I am really glad to see that you were permitted to stay at home. I know you are much better satisfied. You must not forget what I have often told youl in regards [to] exercise. Do not confine yourself to much in doors, but take plenty exercise in the open air. I see that we have at last a home that is really ours. I am certainly under lasting obligation to Father for such an arrangement. I notice what you say in regards [to] the sawmill. I hope you may be able to have many little improvements made. You nead ['sic'] not be afraid of a moderate amount of expense. How I wish I could write you a letter without restriction. I could tell you many things. Well dear this great war still rages. How the land has been bathed in tears and blood! There is scarcely a hearth in the wide land that does not mourn the loss of some dear one. On the last battlefield in this State I witnessed some mournful scenes. Hundreds lay in their blood, hushed in eternal sleep. Oh the wounded with their groans and suffering. I can never forget them. I suppose one[?] now you have a correct account of these battles. I would like to give you a history of the campaign but I cannot just now. Thomas is here with me. He is quite a ladies man in Opelousas. I saw Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Grisham the other day they asked kindly about you. Tell Mr. Aycock that I saw his brother a few days since. He is well as usual. Send word to Uncle Mc that his son Alfred is near this place staying at a farm house, he has been quite sick; but is now better. What do you think of John's marriage -- I thought he had better judgment than to take such a step during these times. Give Pa's love to our dear children. I hope the time is not far when we may all meet again. Accept my love.

J. J. S.

Opelousas June 2nd 1864

Dear Minerva---

Since I received your kind letter with the photographs I have written to you several times, I hope you have received them, Your letter by young McCollam was the first I had received since I left home. You can well imagine my delight at yours and Effies pictures. I prize them very much. I was truly glad to see by your letter that you found it possible to remain at home. I know you are much better contented. I see that at last we have really a home. I think the trade for my notes an excellent one. I'd not think it could be made at this time. I came to this place a few weeks since with the hope that I might yet get home, I yet have such hopes. Thomas is here with me. He is the greatest ladies man you ever saw. Well you did not say one word about Johns marriage. I really thought John had better sense than to take such a step during these trouble[d] times -- I fear that he and Nel will never do their full duty in this great struggle. I find here several of your old friends. Mrs. Smith & Grisham -- they are well & ask kindly after you. Rev. McConnel is preaching in Opelousas. Should you see Uncle Mc Bourgeois tell him that his son Alfred is near this place, on the sick furlough. He is much better now. I let him and his brother have what money they wanted. They make good soldiers, he has a right to be proud of them. Tell Mrs. Gillis that her husband is well, but has lost all his clothes. The McCollams were well a few days since. There is a terrible dry spell up here -- crops suffering and the dust ankle deep. The country is intirely ['sic'] strip[p]ed we pay $200 per month for board -- corn meal sells for $50 per barrel. There appears to be plenty in Texas, but the transportation is difficult. Should the crop fail in this ______ there must be some suffering. I hope you are enabled to pass your time pleasantly. You can now have many little improvements made around the yard & garden. You must not confine yourself so much to your sewings but take more outdoors exercise. I will be pleased to see the many changes that your good judgment may suggest. Give Pa's love to our dear children, I send them all a kiss. Under other circumstances I would write you a different letter -- My love to all the family. I hope you will try to send me a letter soon. Accept my lasting love.

J. J. S.

In camp, near Alexandria, La.

August 21st 1864

My Dear Wife---

Long, long days are passing away without a letter from you. My disappointment is very great. Yet I hope for a change. I hear from our Parrish occasionally and sometimes from some of the family indirectly. This however is not like a kind letter from home. Brooks was fortunate enough to get a letter from Lizzie dated the 6th inst. So I heard from you indirectly --

I am happy to inform you that we are all quite well. We are contented with our scanty rations of beef, bread & sugar. I hope you received a letter from me by way of New Orleans. I directed you how to answer it. We are all anxious for this unnatural war to end. Many both North and South think it must end. May their predictions be true. Well dear how is our dear little trés? I think of them so often. What a cruel separation. Give them Pa's love and kiss them all for me. I wish I could write you a long letter, without restraint. Do not be uneasy about me I want but one thing and that is to be again with my dear family. Be of goood cheer I hope soon to enjoy that (the greatest of) privileges. I hope these few lines may find you all in good health. My love to all the family.

I am as ever your devoted husband.

J. J. S.

Alexandria, La. October 10th 1864

My Dear Wife---

I again write you a few lines. I am happy to inform you that we are all quite well at this time. Thomas is yet below at Franklin. Brooks is with me in camp. This is a bright and cold morning, winter is fast approaching. I think we have had frost already. I am well prepared with blankets and warm clothes, boots, etc. I hope you will make yourself comfortable in every respect. You must have another chimney put up at the house. You must ______ ______ and supply yourself with a good comfortable carpet for the floors. I hope you will not fear expending a few hundred dollars for the above objects. It would perhaps be amusing for me to give you a list of prices we have to pay. Flour $3.75 a pound. Coffee $5 per pound. Lard $___ per pound. Butter $___ per pound. Chicken $___ each. Eggs ___ each. ______ bottle. Tobacco .36 a plug. ______ $30.00 per pound. Shoes $150.00 per pair. All other things proportioned. Yet with these enormous prices no one appears to grumble much. Money is plentiful. We have no use for anything less than a five dollar bill. The army soldiers even indulge in the above luxuries. We have plenty of fat beef, corn bread, molasses, sugar & bacon. I often think of you and our bright little ones seated around a cheerful fire. How I long to be there to take my place in that happy circle. I assure you our separation is more painful than ever. How can we even recall the past? How many long dreary days have take[n] the place of what would have been happy ones during the last two years. I hope you will not let these trying times ______ to leaving in your mind -- such despondency can do no good and may do evil . . . I yet hope for an end to these national troubles. What a glad moment will it be to the many now separasted from home and family ! What joyful meetings of long separated relatives and friends! I often think of this happy moment. It cannot be far off. I should close with a few more lines. You will remember me to our dear childrn. Our darling baby will be nearly two months old when you receive this. Impress upon his cheek an absent father's kiss. My love to all the family. I am as ever your devoted husband.

J. J. S.

In Camp near Alexandria

November 7th 1864

My Dear Wife,

Several days have elapsed since I last preformed ['sic'] the pleasant duty of writing to you. I hope you have one now. Received my letter by flag of truce boat. I am pleased to say that we are all quite well. Thomas is yet below. I expect he is having a nice time. I am as yet without a letter from you. Yet I look anxiously [on] every occasion for such a welcome messenger. Brooks is more fortunate. He has received several letters lately. I therefore hear from you indirectly. Winter is setting in, in real earnest. We have had some quite cold weather already. I hope you have not failed to make yourself entirely comfortable. I have in several previous letters reminded you of another fire place in the house. Also carpets for your floor, I just now think of our misfortune last fall in getting burned out. You will, in order to avoid such another occurence, have the stove thoroughly fixed with brick underneath on the floor and with tin or iron overhead. Do not neglect. I really hope this letter may find you and our dear children enjoying good health. I assure you I often think of your now. Many years must roll around after we meet before I can forget this cruel separation. It cannot now be otherwise I hope then you will not become discouraged, but look forward with a hope that will sustain you until the end of this unnatural war. Remember every day that passes by brings us nearer to what we so much desire. Peace, peace is the cry throughout the length of the whole land.

Is Mrs. Williams with you yet? If she has been faithful I certainly will not forget her. You must not let Jhnny know you entirely neglect his books. It would afford me great pleasure to find him able to read. You must get him a saddle. I think he deserves a pony also. Is he out with his grandmother yet? Remember me to our dear children. I hope yet to return and make you and them happy once more.

I have heard that Father has become sick. Tell him not to expose himself but take good care of his health. The same to mother. Kiss all the children for me --

I am as ever your devoted husband.

J. S. S.

My love to all the family.

In a camp, 20 miles above Alexandria, La.

February 27th 1865

My Dear Wife---

Only a few days have lapsed since I dispatched you a letter by flag of truce boat. I hope you have received it [by] now. I have an occasion today and I pen you these few lines. You will see that we have moved our camp farther up the river. Thomas and myself have just completed a small log hut to protect us from the weather. We are now quite comfortable with a snug little fire place. I wish you could see the camp. We have no tents so every man is allowed to construct just such a house as he chooses. They select various materials such as small pine logs, pine leaves -- bark. The huts vary in size from a chicken coop to a small negro cabin. It ______ only two or three days time for every man to have a house. We are all glad to see winter so near over. Summer is far better for the soldiers. I am glad to inform you that I received my ______ charger a few days since. It contained two shirts, one pair of gloves, one pair ______, two pair socks in one ______. I was glad to receive them. I have such a joke in you in regards [to] the shirts. I put one on the other ______ and then of the collar about three inches too large. You must think that I am growing larger in the army. I was not troubled long -- I soon made a large plete [pleat] in the collar it fits well now. I am so anxious to receive a letter from you. I am expecting one every day. I hope I will not be disappointed. There are plenty of _____ to ______ buttons if you can find them but [line incomplete].

Well dear an attempt at least, [h]as been made to give ______ terms for stopping this terrible war and it has failed. ______ this you all must not become discouraged. In my opinion peace will be on us when we least expect it. The amount of fighting required in this contest is ______ nigh ended. The balance must be done by the pen through negotiations.

I hope these few lines may find you and our dear children in good health. Oh that I cold be at home this spring with everything as they once were. It appears now that my cup of bliss would be filled. I hope the prospects for the coming crop is good. Has Kissar planted his cane yet, did the seed keep wet? Did Father rent out his place? What is William doing? What place is Mr. Woods on? How many men were drafted?

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______ at your letter as before

I assure you ______ [and] me often think of our once happy homes. This war is teaching us a terrible lesson and I hope one that will be of great good in the future. We are now weighing it is [in?] every sense of the tears. I do not think there ever was a batch of California gold diggers to equal us. If we get one good meal per day we are fortunate. You must not think I am thus reduced -- I have plenty ______. I have money yet. When I get out of this greatest of feuds I expect I will find it rather hard. I am anxiously ______ the gold ______ you mentioned in your last. I expect to have my teeth of ______ upon ______ soon ______ ______ to hand. Tell Uncle Mc Bourgeois his sons are well but quite destitute. Thomas let them have some money the other day, but we cannot spare any more. Tell him he should send them some clothes. The McCollams are ______ on near Shreveport ______. Do you ever hear from home? If so let me know what has become of ______ and Jhn. Are they at their posts during this struggle? How is father and mother? Give them my love -- tell them to take this troubles as light as possible. It is useless to greave to much now. Kiss the dear childrren for me. I will write you again as soon as I hear from you. Give my love to all the family. I am ______ dear wife as ever remain your devoted husband.

J. J. S.

P.S. Write when you can --