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John Berryman Crawford, son of Robert Crawford, was born in 1826 in the Paulding area of Mississippi in what is now Jasper County. He married Mary Jane McCarty who died in 1853 within weeks after the birth of their daughter, Frances V. Crawford. John married Martha Ann Craft, daughter of Moses Craft, who was born 1840 in Wilcox Co, AL. They had three children: Laura Pinckney born 1858, Thomas Carroll born 1860 and Mary Josephine born 1862, my great grandmother.
On 13 January 1863, he enlisted in Co F, 16th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry at Enterprise, MS. He was killed in battle on 12 May 1864 during the Battle of the Bloody Angle at Spotsylvania, VA and, to our best knowledge, was buried where he fell. He was 38 years old and left a 24 year old widow and 4 children behind.
The letters he wrote home to Martha are held in the MS Department of Archives and History and have been referred to in several books on the history of the Civil War.
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Camp near the old united States border
April the 1st 1863
Dear wife I seat myself to let you know that I am not well I havent seen a well day since I got here it dont do nothing here but snow everything is covered in snow this morning I hope these few lines will find you and the children well I cant hardly stand it but god only knows if we will ever meet again but if we never meet on earth meet me in heaven kiss the children for me and tell me how youre doing and getting along I know nothing of any interest to write only we expect a fight in a few days as we are in sight of the enemy I was on picket caught cold and been under the doctor ever since but I am now a little on the mend tell Patsey I hant forgot her Daniel Bankston and the rest of the boys sends their best respects to you and family give my respects to all inquiring friends write as soon as you get this
I remain your affectionate husband til death
J.B. Crawford
To Martha Francis Laura Tommy and Josaphine it seems to me if I could see you once more I would be satisfied
[NOTE: This letter does not seem to be in the MS Archives with the other originals, but was published circa the early 1930s in a newspaper in the Downsville, LA area. The original letters (3 submitted per note with the article) were furnished to the newspaper for publication by Thomas C. Crawford, son of J.B. Crawford. They printed two, the other dated Feb 13 1864. It is obvious that the transcriber took much liberty as the punctuation and spelling are very different from the handwritten letters and the verbatim transcriptions done in the early 1970s. I was given a copy of the old article in 2002 by Tommy Crawford of Sterlington, LA, a grandson of Thomas C. Crawford. BB]
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Camp near the old united
State ford
April the 12 1863
Dear wife I seat myself down to let you know that I am well at this time hoping those few lines will find you and famley enjoying the same blessing of health this is the third letter I have rote and have received no word from you yet I am thinking you have forgotten to rite I waunt to hear from you very bad and waunt to see you a heap worse than ever
I have sent three letters an one paper I am on garde to day an have not time to rite but I have nothing of any importance to rite I can see the yankee at work an wee expect a fight evry day tel the children that pa hant forgot them and would give the wourld to see them once more if we never meet on earth meet me in heaven where we will part no more for ever amen
So I will close for this time hoping to hear from you soon I remain your husband til death
J.B. Crawford
to Martha A. Crawford
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Camp near the old United
State ford
April the 23 1863
Dear wife I received your letter of the 14 which found me well an I was glad to hear from you but sorry to hear how ben has done the best way is to have nothing to do with him Im glad you let Pippen have the mare you waunted to know what I had to eat and do I have flower and bacon to eat and have to watch the yankey I see the rebbels ever day and we taken three of them (yankees) yesterday an brought them in Camp I have nothing much to rite I rote Martha and Mary a letter yesterday I sent a paper to you let me know where you got it or not tel Pippen I hant forgot him I have seen the elephant an the baby ----(?) let me know who have gon from there I must rite ben a note to mind his own bisness I waunt to see the children so bad I cant be still tel Jane the boys is all well I am glad you sold the ----(?) get somebody to take care of the wagon do the best you can tel I return if I get off safe give my best respect to my friends tel Molly I would like to see her so nothing more at present
I remain your loving husband
until death
J.B. Crawford
to Martha A. Crawford
I waunt to see tommey so bad
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Camp near the old
United state ford
April 27 1863
Dear wife I received yours of the sixteenth which found me well I hope those few lines will find you and famley enjoying the same blessing of health
I was glad to hear from you and the children ---------(?)
tel the children I waunt to see them so bad I have nothing of any importance to rite I stand on one side of the river an the yankee on the other side and we fish together -------(?)
tel Jane the boys is all well an looks very well
you said something about bens conduct since Ive ben gone tel ben the next time he com there to cutting up it only fifteen hundred mile home an if I cant com home I can run away an com an things will change there or somebodys neck break dont let him have the mare an no harness he is a tory at best an a coward he thinks that I never will com back and he will do as he pleases let Pippen keep the mare we expect a fight every day kiss the children for me tel them to send me some word and god bless the baby do I will close at present tel I hear from you again rite soon
J.B. Crawford to M. Crawford
and the children
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May the 7 1863
Dear wife I seat myself to let you know I am not well but I hope those few lines will reach you and find you all well
I have been on the battle field eight days the sight I saw I cant pen it down it is a slaughter pen it is enough to make the old master weep the dead and the dying the wounded they was stroad for ten miles in ever direction oh what a sight what a sight to behold our company lost now ninety five killed an wounded an missing in our rigement the loss on boath sides I cant tel but it look like enough to make a wourld I never waunt to see the sight again the shot an shel an minny balls com round me like hail stones but no time for dogin [dodging] I expected ever minute our company would be blown into attums but I think kind providents smiled on us if I could see you I could tel you more than I could right about it it is too bad to talk about.
I cant rite much now wee have to travel now after the yankey so I will close at this time I waunt to see you all so bad
J.B. Crawford
to his dear wife an children
good by god bless you
(NOTE: His letter home after the battle at Chancellorsville. BB)
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Pennsylvania
June the 28 1863
Dear wife I received your kind letters of June the 7 and 14 which found me well but a long ways from home I hope those few lines will reach you an famley well an doing well we have been on the march three weeks and now we are in the middle of Pennsylvania on our way to baston in the middle of the enimy the yankees says they will whip us if it take them ten year but we dont think so
I have nothing of any interest to write now I expect it will be two or three month before I can get to write any more the mail cant go threw this country any more an wee dont know how long wee will stay hear some of us no dout never will get back to Virginia and just as apt me as any body this is a hard road to travel wee have to go threw wet an dry cold an hot an sleep in mud
there is one thing I regret to write D.O. Bankston have deserted us an gon in the mountain the rest of the boys are all well at this time.
I waunt you to do the best you can you said you had sold the wagon for one hundred an fifteen dollars you ort to had one hundred an fifty the way things is selling now but I recon you don rite to sell it for I dont know when I will ever com back but I hope an trust it waunt be long god bless you an the children
so I will close for this time by saing that I remain your loving husband until death
J.B. Crawford
to Martha A Crawford
kiss the children for me
tel Jane to write to me
I hant forgot hear
tel the children to do good
J.B. Crawford
[NOTE: the Jane to whom he refers was his sister. She married Thomas Jefferson Bankston. BB]
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Mariland
July the 8, 1863
Dear wife I seat myself to let you know that I am well at presant hoping those few lines will find you an famley well on and doing well I can say to you that wee have got back to maryland and we have had a hard fight in Pennsylania and I think wee made a draw fight of it boath armys move off at the same time in the night
wee had one hundred an fifty peses of cannon an the yankey had two hundred peses all firing at the same time wee taken prisoners an find about fifteen thousand and I thing the enemy don about the same as ni as I can tel but some of our men says not says wee did not lose that many but they was apile on boath sides enough to make one state an fil it ful
wee was under heavy canading [cannoning] all day I expecting to be shot in athousand peses all day an wee exspecting a fight tomorrow but I hope it wount come on I never was scared as bad in my life some of our boys was wounded but non kild so fare I am tiard of the ware.
if I live to get in virginia I will write to you soon I have not time to write now wee expect to leave hear ever hour an wee have to be reddy in aminet warning excuse this bad writing an spelling I had to in a hurry so I will close by saying I remain your lovin husband until death
I wood give the wourld if it was mine to see you an the children good by for this time
J.B. Crawford
to Martha An Crawford
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Winchester Hospital
July the 16 1863
Dear wife I seat myself down to let you know that I am not well at present but I hope these few lines will find you an famley well
I taken the fever in a few days after the gettysburg fight we left about dark an march all night the mud and water was almost needeep an then we stop the next day an ladown in the water an I taken the fever an was sent to winchester but I hope it wount last long the hardships we have to go threw is enough to kill a mud turtle I dont know any thing about the ridgement at this time they have had a nother battle sence I left them but I dont know how they made it I cant hear from them
news reach hear that vicksburg has gone up the spout if it has we had just as well quit an give up the confedracy I dont know that I have any thing more of any importance to write I have an idy the war will end in the next five year to com direct your letters to richmon we can get them beter from ther than any wher else
I dont know wher you can read this or not I am so week my hand trembles so bad I will close by saing I remain your loving husband until death.
J.B. Crawford
To Martha A. Crawford
fare well for this time
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August the 9 1863
Dear wife I seat myself to let you know that I am not well but I hope these few lines will find you an famley enjoying the best of health I taken sick in May and was sent to winchester an then to stanton an then to richmond I am very low at this time an nobody to fan the flies off me I miss you now I waunt to see you worse than ever but I hope god is with me I tryed to get a furlow but they wood see me dead first but if I dy I think I am prepared to meet my god Martha pra for me an tel all of my friends to pray for me tell brother -------(?) to pray for me Martha if we never meet on earth my god I waunt you to meet me in heaven where we never will part no more and raise the children to meet me there
I dont know that I ever will see you any more on earth oh my god my god I would give the wourld to see you once more on earth
Martha dont let this greave you it a thing that cant be -----(?) all I crave is butter milk and corn bread I have been sick ever since the first of july no body cant wait on me like you cood our confederacy is gon up the spout an I dont car how soon the sooner the better for us as we are treated worse than dogs hear I hant red a letter from you in two month your letter goes to ridgement an I dont get them wright soon for fear I will never read it I dont feel like I would stay in this wourld very long excuse my bad riting I am so week my hand trimble so bad I cant write may god bless you an famley
direct your letters to general hospital howard grove richmond Virginia
J.B. Crawford
To Martha An Crawford
farewell my dear
tel the children I want to see them
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gineral Hospital Howards
grove ward C second division
richmond va August 20 1863
Dear wife I am happy to inform you that I am on the mend at this time I hope those few lines will find you and the famley enjoying the best of health I have nothing of any importance to write you at this time I send you the soldier paper if you get it write to me I hant seen the boys in two months but I received a letter from them that they were all well write to me how you are gitten along in this world and how the stock is doing Martha take good care of the mare for horses is worth a fortune at this time they are three to four hundred dollars here write to me who have gon to war an who hant tel the children I am getting well an waunt to see them
so nothing more at this time only I remain your affectionate husband until death so fare you well for this time I hope to see you again
J.B. Crawford to Martha An Crawford
tel the children I waunt to see them the worst in the wourld
I am mity week but I could walk ten miles in one hour to see them
J.B. Crawford
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I send you some of my
Whiskers
General Hospital Howards grove
Richmond va
Sept the 8 1863
Dear wife I received your kind letter of august 31 which found me on the mend I think I will get well I was rejoyced to hear from you an the children and to read your letter I hope these few lines will com to hand an find you an famley well I have nothing of any interest to write you except our confedracy is gon up the spout I think the boys is all out of hart up hear I am glad you sending faney to scool tel her to learn fast an I will send her a little book to read T.H. Green got the letter you sent with some of your hair in it and it look like home to me but he did not send the letter to me I make some mistakes I leave out some wourd I sent you the soldier paper if you get them always write it in your letter an I will send some more
direct your letter to the redgement I had like to forget to tel you I received a letter from pipen the same day an he said brother ben was concpt (conscripted ?) poore lod fellow in truble I know
I waunt to see you and the children the wourst in the wourld but there is no chance yet awhile I hope I will see you an them before long I got a letter from the ridgment day before yesterday an they was all well
I wood give the confedracy to the yankeys if it was mine to see you an the little ones write to me how you are makin out in this dreadful wourld an how the stock is doing I am sorry the old lady is crasy tel her she must quit that way of doing Martha take every thing easy and do the best you can tel I com if it is god will for me to com back again and I hope it is
Martha take good care of the mare for horses is mity hy so I will close for this time by saing I remain your very Dear Husband tel Death good by honey
J.B. Crawford
to Martha An Crawford
(NOTE: Pipen Craft was Martha's youngest brother. Martha married Thomas H. Green some time after J.B. Crawford was killed in battle. B. B.)
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October the 2 1863
Dear wife I take the opportunity to let you know that I am still on the mend hoping these few lines will find you and famley well and doing well
Martha I waunt to see you and the children so bad I am almost crasy my daly pray is that I will live to see you all once more in this life when I think if I should never see you and the children anymore it almost make my heart bleed to think about it (amen)
I have nothing of any importance to write to you times is hard hear and talk of the war lasting ten year longer and it looks to me like it wood from all appearances
they was ten men shot hear today for desertion I did not go to see it I could not bare the sight to see men shot more than I can help
Martha get Pippen to spay all of the hogs except the old sow an two gilts the grounsquirrel one and the white one with the black spot on her back them is the two I picked when I was at home
I received your letter wrote the last August an answered it and I am looking ever day hard for another one
Martha don't greave any more than you can healp I waunt you to be fat an harty so you can tend to our little children it almost kills me to think if they should have to suffer
I will send you a leaf of a song book with two peaces of poetry one is home home can I forget the the other is be kind to thy father an I sent Jane one of the old folks at home
I found a book on the battlefield had them in it so I will close by saing I remain your dear husband until death parts us
J.B. Crawford good bye
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Gener Hospital Howard grove
2nd division ward C
Oct the 7 1863
Dear wife I received yours of the 22 of sept today which found me on the mend I hope this will find you and the children well
you said ben waunted you to move dont do it except he pays you fifty dollars down
Martha dont let ben greave you I wood not pay any attention to him he is as mean as hell want him an everybody nows it dont let him bother your mind and dont move tel he pays you fifty dollars down and then I dont know where you wood go too the old plase is so unhandy to ever thing an so fare to the mill an nobody to go for you let Pippen keep the mare as long as he will
I hope an trust I will live to come home Martha dont let things greave you I hope all thing will work rite after awhile and wee will meet again oh what a hapy meeting that wood be to us for ever to think of
Martha send ben word I love Pipen like a brother and I love him like a yankey the boys is all well at this time Oldham rayner soninlaw is gon home from our company on furlow
I understood Jefferson was at home wee expect a fight hear ever day I wood like to write a long letter but I dont have nothing to write of any interest when you write write a long letter maby I will have something new next time I waunt to see you all mity bad once more
take good care of yourself an the children tel Jane and Molly hoddy for me good bye for this time
so I will close by saing I remain your Dear husband until death
J.B. Crawford
to Martha A Crawford
and the Children
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Oct the 14 1863
general Hospital
Howards grove ward D
Second division
Dear wife I concluded to write you a few lines an I can send it by A langham he has gon home on furlow
Dear wife I am not well it looks like I cant get well any more Im in low state of health at present
I hope those few lines will find you and famley in good health I have nothing of interest to write you except a fight going on up hear but I dont know how it will turn out but when I hear from it I will write you the perticulars of it
you wrote about net being with you tel her she must not run about tel her she must stay with you they is talking a little of peace up hear god send it wood be so is my pray but I think it all talk and no sider Martha do the best you can dont let ben desturb you I wood not bother my brain with him he is nothing but a low life tory no way at best dont let him run you off stay til I com home if I ever com which I hope I will
so I will stop at present by saing I remain your husband until death
J.B. Crawford god bless you
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general Hospital
Howards grove Ward D
Oct the 18 1863
Dear wife today is sunday and as I had nothing to do and am very lonsome I concluded I wood write you a few lines to let you know that I am tolerable well at this time hoping those few lines will find you and famley enjoying the best of health I never did waunt to see any body as bad in my life as I waunt to see you an the children if I had the whole wourld I wood give it all to see you and the children I keep the letter you sent and read them once every day and look at your hair it looks very natural but I wood like the place it com off of much better Martha I could talk with you a week an never get sleepy
Martha I am afraid the cruel war will last ten year longer it looks like it never will end I sent you a letter by A. langham write to me what ben is doing an little John louis where he is gon or not an what the people is doing there
the boys was all well the last time I heard from them I heard today that our general got wounded and I fear some of the boys heart [hurt] but I will hear in a few days an then I will write to you
there is a battle going on up hear at this time I wrote to Moses two month ago but dont get no answer from him I am afraid he is dead an cant write
you need not send me any clothing I can draw them cheaper than you can make them
If you have got the wool you can keep it tel I com home if I ever get the chance to com which I hope I will an stay when I com I dont think I could leave home two miles if I was at home with out the famley with me my pray is to god daley that wee will meet again on earth and see each other once more home sweet home o how I long for the
Martha I cant expres my feeling to you if I could com home I could tel you all abot it
there is no place like home give my best respect to brother Mc an famley an Pippen and famley tel them to write to me so I will close by saing write soon an let me hear from you tel the children I waunt to see them mity bad
may god bless you and famley is my pray amen
J.B. Crawford
to his Dear wife
fare well but not for ever
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Nov the 7 1863
Dear wife I received your letter today which found me tolerable well at this time I was glad to hear you was all well but sory to hear Laura got heart [hurt] ben is hear but I have not seen him he is at the company I hant got to the company yet but I expect to go in a few days I have nothing of interest to write you I dont think the war will close in five year longer
I hope you will see some peace now ben is gone I am glad the deserters is coming in
I received a letter from Caldwell today and the boys is all well an going in winter quarters
Martha always date the letter you send an the date you received one an then I can tel where you get all the letters I send or not I have got the close I brout from home and ware them ever day they are the best I ever saw I have craved a blue suit to ware of a Sunday to meety
Martha I want to see you and the children mity bad but there ant no chance yet but I hope the time will come soon when we can strike home once more Martha keep in good heart and do the best you can tel net to send me some of the pound cake in a letter to eat for supper I sent you two papers today write to me if you get them excuse my bad writing it is so cold hear my hand trimble so bad I cant half write
one of the papers is the southern --------(?) the other one is the soldiers paper
I wrote on the 2 of oct an I begin to think you where [were] all dead I was geting out of heart thinking you had forgot to write
I have to write to the Comp today and to Moses
write often I love to read your letter so I must close by saing I remain your Dear husband until death
J.B. Crawford to Martha Cra
P.S.
my beard is six inches long I will send you some of my whiskers tel the children hody and kiss them for me give my best respects to all my inquiring friends tel Pippen to write to me and net also
I wish I had a heap of good news to write to you
write soon and often
so no more for this time
J.B. Crawford
To Martha A.. Crawford
and all the children
good bye for this time
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Nov the 15 1863
Dear wife I received your letter oct the 25 which found me tolerable well I was glad to hear from you I hope those few lines will find you and the children well I received the letters you sent to the hospital I have nothing new to write to you ben is up hear but I have not saw him he was consign to the fourty eighth redgment
Martha I dont know what this wourld will com to they have quit exchanging prisners
when they take them they keep them til the war is over I think that will bring about peace before long I am in hope so any how
Martha if they get me I am gon up tel the war is over they waunt swap no more
I am glad you made enough to fatten your hogs I was uneasy about you makin a crop to fatten your meat I wood send you some money but I am afraid to resk it in a letter
times is so hard people dont car what they do these days if any of my Company come on furlow I will send it you said you could tel me something you could not trust in a letter I believe they all com safe let me know some of them if any has mistreated you I wood like to know it
Martha you can take that little field now ben is gon an cultivate it next year
Martha if the mare brings a colt take good care of them Pippen wrote to me that he had put her to a fine horse I am in hopes old master spare me to get home I got a letter from Jim Brasher two or three days ago I sent you a letter and some tracks by langham I wrote you a letter of the 7 of this month and sent two papers with it I also wrote moses a letter last week
you request of me to send you some of my hair I forgot to put it in the letter tel after I had seald it up but I will send it in this
I have read my testament threw three times an started threw it again
today is Sunday and I have nothing to do but to read when I get threw writing this
letter I sent four buttons to the children I cant send anything heavy are I wood send a heap of little things to them
so I will close by saing I hope to hear from you soon I remain your dear husband until Death parts us
J.B. Crawford
to Martha A. Crawford
good By once more
my Dear famley
to Francis V. Crawford
Laura P. Crawford
Thomas C. Crawford
Josaphine Crawford
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Camp 16 Rapidan
Nov the 24 1863
Dear wife I received your kind letter of Nov the 17 which found me well I hope those few lines will find you a famley enjoying the best of health I have nothing of any importance to write you I have not saw ben yet an if I keep my eyesight I dont waunt to see him he is consign to the fourty eight Redgement there is something strange up hear it has been raing [raining] blood the people dont know what to make of it but I expect the next rain will be rain of yankees or something else I sent you a letter and some tracks by langston let me know if you get them I enclose you a paper today I received your letter today
all well in camp wee expect a fight soon up hear our pickets is in sight of each other but wee expect to whip them very bad you need not look for me on furlow they waunt give furlough tel wee are dead three days an then they have to examin the grave to see if he there or not there
I write once a week I have contented (?) to stay hear five year if I should live that long McKinstry (?) got a letter from paulding it stated the ca----(?) (cancer?) had kill hous meeks
if I could see you an the children once more I would be satisfied but they ant no chance and wee must take it the best wee can
so I will close by saing I remain your husband until death
farwell for this time J.B. Crawford to ------- ? (Martha A. Crawford)
write ----(?) again
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Camp Rappian
January the 20 1864
Dear wife I seat myself to answer yours of the 8 which found me well and I was glad to hear from you I hope those few lines will find you and famley well I have no news to write you I wrote you by John Loper and sent you seventy dollars by him we are on starvation hear we have nothing to eat but a little flour bread and not near enough of that I dont know what wee will do for something to go on to sustain life times is hard hear
you sed something about your fat meat I wood like to be there to see some of it it would be a show to me if you have any meat atall you are better off than wee are I am glad you have fat meat that dont look like you will suffer Martha I waunt to see you and the children mity bad but I dont know when wee will meet I hope soon you ask me what I thougt of your hog swap I think you don very well you sed patsy waunted you to leave but I wood stay there if I waunted too and ask her no ods and tend that little field in the bargin and tel her I was mistres of that place and pay no attention to any thing she said Martha wee do bad hear the weather is very cold and mudy I lost my over coat I sent it to richmond last spring and some body stoal it and I have nothing but a round coat this winter I bout a wool over shirt and make out toulerable well wee are campt on the rappian to do picket duty
my fingers is cold an I must stop my short letter for this time by saing write soon
fare well my dear for this time hoping to hear soon Martha good bye
J.B. Crawford
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Camp Rappian
January the 24 1864
Dear wife I seat myself to let you know I receive your kind letter of January the 10 which found me well at present I hope those few lines will find you and famley well I have nothing of importance to write you I was glad to hear from you and that you was all well
today is sunday and wee have just come off of inspection times is hard but the weather is very cold we are in sight of the yankee but nothing like a fight I believe the war will close next summer and wee can come home at least I am in hope so any how but we expect a big fight next spring and if wee whip them I think they will quit waring the yankee are geting tiard of it as much as wee are
my Dear wife I hope wee will meet on earth again may god speed the day to com I waunt it to com and com right now I waunt to see you and the children mity bad once more all wee can do is to live in hope I am messing with hector smith and sergent W Caldwell we have bilt a little house and have got a chimney to it and wee set by the fire an talk of old times an sing old songs an some new ones I wish I had something new to write you but I hant the boys is all well and waunt to com home mity bad
I hope I will have something new to write the next time I wrote moses a letter yesterday
so I must close my letter and get dinner but I can soon get that nothing to do but bake a little bread and then eat it as quick
I remain your true husband as ever good bye honey
J.B. Crawford
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Camp Rappidan
Feb the 13 1864
Dear wife I received yours of the 29 which found me unwell at present tho nothing but bad cold I hope those few lines will find you and famley enjoying the best of health I was glad to hear from you and that you were well I have nothing strange or new to write you the boys is all well except bad colds
you stated that you got no letters I don't see the cause of it I write once a week and sent three or four by hand I sent one by John Loper and seventy dollars by him he said he would go be and give it to you he left here the 16 of January and I have sent money twice in a letter and you never wrote whether you got it or not when you receive any thing always let me know it
Martha you dont know how bad I waunt to see you and the children but I hope god will hear my prayer I send Laura a little book tell Tommy the next one I get I will send him
you said something about a little colt if the mare has a colt and its a male call it Robert Lee every thing is quite here so I have nothing to write of any importance I think if we live by this time next year we will have peace that is the talk up hear tell Jim Brasher to make haste and com if he is going to take my place our men that has been home on furlough say the cavalry at home is worse than the deserters they ride about and steal and the deserters hide from them and this Army believes it so I will close by saing I remain your true husband
as ever
J.B. Crawford
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