Citation: Shoemaker Letters, trans. Joshua R. Brown. From Heritage Language Corpora. http://www.heritagelanguagecorpora.org/



Camp Fairview Virginia
January /65, 23rd

Dere Brother
I set down to wrigt A few lines to you to let you kow that we are all well at prassent Hoping that this letter ma find you and yor Famla in the same state of good Helth.  Ant futher I wish the wore wood com to a and that we all could go home.
But I hope tha settel till next spring I gas old Jaf Davis got Anfe from the yankis.
Futher I dond no much nous I gas you no more dan I do.
Tha noys I no is this we are garten the Ralrode Brot I gas the Correlles mak an [?1] after wile.
Tha are coming around every Night on our Camp About two hundrit to wash us, But tha ditent Fixer yet but we have to wash Dams that migt cil som Both
Die Caviller thun als die Soldaten kammen und thun die stribben von kob zu vur und geben ein ein kick an den arsch und schicken em wieder noch dem kemp und geben ihren besten Rasspect zu den offarsar und da mus wer auf bassen das die em nicht fanen thu. Sie sind blente hiss die alten bauren hab ich schon zu dem verrecken gewiest.
verner seÿ so gud und schick mir für 100  Daler posttastam ich bezal dier es wan ich heim kam oder schick dier das geld. du solst es ned umsonst thun, Ich hab schon lang vier ein Bax gewart aber ich denk es ged zu nicht das wie selem schwartzen seÿ dleicht.
[?] to sent that than i wright yu more the next time
so good by
My Brother A.Z.S. and your wife R.
William H. Shoemaker

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Camp Fairview Virginia
January 23, 1865

Dear Brother,

I set down to write a few lines to you and let you know that we are all well at present.  Hoping that this letter may find you and your family in the same state of good health.  And further I wish the war would come to an end and that we all could go home.

But I hope they settle it by next spring.  I guess Old Jeff Davis is afraid of the Yankees.

Further I don’t know other news.  I guess you know more than I do.  The news I know is this: we are guarding the railroad.  I guess the rebels will attack after a while.  They come around every night to our camp.  About two hundred of them to watch us.  But they didn’t do anything yet.

The officers came to give the soldiers a kick in the butt and send them back to camp.  They give their best respect to the officers and so we need to pay attention, that we don’t upset them.  There are plenty of old farmers here.

Further, be so good and send me 100 dollars postage stamps.  I’ll pay you when I come home or I can send you the money.  You shouldn’t do it for nothing.  I’ve waited so long for a package but I think that I won’t get it.

So goodbye
My brother A.Z.S. and your wife R.
William H. Shoemaker