Epperly, Mary M. (fl. 1859-1865) to C. M. Epperly
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02715.070 Author/Creator: Epperly, Mary M. (fl. 1859-1865) Place Written: Floyd County, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 21 August 1863 Pagination: 4 p. Order a Copy
Writes that she spoke to a man from Franklin, who said half the men from that army have deserted. Notes that the men do not hide but live normal lives. Says that the home guards do not bother to look for deserters anymore and asks her husband to come home. [See GLC02715.065]
[Flag] Cty Va
Aug the 21 1863
My dear Husband,
I [this Evening] am blest with the opertunity of writin you a fiew lines in answer to the cind leter which I received a short time ago dated Aug [inserted: the] 4 I red your cind leter with great pleasur and with a thankful hart to hear that you was well and I pray to god that [inserted: he] may always add unto us such blessings this leaves us all well and harty and I do pray to god when these fiew lines comes to hand they may find you enjoying the [same] [2] blessing Dear Marion I haven't much [much] nuse to write that would interest you times hear is very dull, we cant hear any nuse much about the army the most we can hear is deserting they are leaving the army in all parts thar was a man up hear from Franklin and he sais that half the men that [inserted: went] from thare is at home at work he sais they dont keep hid they just go on with thare work as they always did and Dear Marion I do wish that you would all come home for it looks like as long as you all stay thare and fight they wont try to make [3] peace and if you would all leaves they would be abliged to do something it just looks to me like they will keeep the men thare till thare all killed and then be whiped at last you wrote in your leter that some of our niest [sic] Neighbors had left down thare I havent hear of nun geting home [inserted: yet] but David Sanglar and Harry they are at home and they dont keep hid but thar is no danger of them being took up unless they send men from the army for these home guards has never [4] tried to take up anybody since they was taken prisenes and they say they dont intend to try to take any more I will soon close my leter your Fathers family is well and harty William is just like he has bin for some time Dear Marion I do pray the hapy time is not fare distant when we may meet on earth again for my hole harts desire is that we may meet [struck: again] [inserted: soon] Mother and the Boys sends thar love and Best Respects to you so Nothing more at preasent only I still Remain your True Wife Till death Mary M. Epperly [inserted: to Dear] Marion
[In top margin of the second through fourth pages, written in the opposite direction of the main text]
[3] I will write to you again in a fiew days and give you all the nuse & write soon [2] excuse my bad writen for my paper is very bad [4] Joseph talkes of coming to the Regt next weak and if he dos I will write the first of the weak
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