Jones, Joseph (fl. 1862-1865) to Nancy E. Jones

1. page August 7th 1863
Tullahoma Tennisee
Joseph Jones 79. regt. ills. vol -

Dear wife: once more i take up my pen to [struck: a] write a line to you: i look for a letter from you to day, but as it dos becom so hot through the day that it is disagreeable to do any thing i have chosen the early part of the day to write a letter to you i shal not mail this until eavening and of i get any news to day i will let you know, this morning finds me in better health than usual. but i am not stout yet. and do not expect to be as stout again as I was at [2] 2 page the first part of the past year, it will be one year the 28th of this month [strikeout] since we was mustered in the service: our time is counted from that day, so then i will soon have served one third om my term of service. we drew pay from the first day of august. but have to serve three years from the time of muster, if the wor lasts, but i hope three months will end the war), we stil hold this place. but have no assureance of staying here, though it generaly belieaved that we will stay here some time, the weather is mutch hoter here than up there and the nights cooler. [3] 3 page the order has just now come to be in rediness to march, but i dont think we will al move. that is the hole division one brigade must stay here, it may be ours, i was at a good prairmeeting last night in town in th church house, yester day was thanksgiveing day according to the presidents proclimation, i keep the day as best i could, i have bin to meeting evry night for some time, and have bin to the colerd peoples meeting considerable, i use to think they neaded white men to preach to them but i have lerned better, i find that al they nead is schooling [4] 4 page and they can do their own preaching, i have herd black men preach that can preach a beter sermond than any of your local preachers at home, well the question is how can a black man preach so well, have they got education, no, they dont know one letter, did their masters teach them any thing a bout christ no,, they did not even alow them the priviledge of going to meeting, [strikeout] well how did they lern to preach O i will tel you, when they here any thing they never forget it, they have a better recollection than white me have, and as one black boy said last night when i asked him how he lerns so mutch [5] [written and struck across text on the top of page 5: prey, for liberty and for me, and strikeout my safe return to comfort you al] 5 page a bout the loveing savoir ho ses he: de lod sas dat he will be wisdom to de ignorant, his spirit teaches de poor black foks, if it wasent for de good lod I don no what wold become of de black foks..
i tel you that i have bin with the colord people considerable, and i find that if they had the schooling and chance that we have they could take care of their selves, and be a smart people, and they could soon school them selves if they had a chance, for they love a book, and want to lern, [6] 6 page and they can lern any thing very quick, you may believe evry word of uncle toms cabin for there is not a more truthful book in the world than it is except the bible, i have seen with my own eyes and herd with my own ears, i will relate one instance and then i will pass, while in camp at stone river, i was one day siting in the shade on the bank of the railroad, reading my book when a fine looking boy came up and sit down on the bank about two rod to my left. he set there some time and [struck: an] as he had drew my attention [7] 7 page away from my book i noticed that he watched me very closely, i called him and asked him to sit down by my side, ono sir, i never sits by de white folks, well you will sit down by me, o no sir i is to black, well you sit down here i want to talk to you, well i never sets wif white folks sir; but if you want to talk to i has nofin more to say, (he sits down) how long have you bin with our armey about 15 moths sir, where did you live before the war, alabama sir, was your master hard on you yes sir, did he alow you to have a book, no sir,, did he alow you to go [8] 8 page to meeting, no sir, did he ever whip you, yes sir, what did he whip with, a cow hide whip sir, you can see my back so you don't has to take my word for it i looked at his back and i saw and it was scars al over, i asked him then if he always tried to please his master, he answered yes and i am certin that he told the truth for i after wards become acquanted with this darky and i never knew a better boy in my life, he told me that his master would make him and al his hands work hard al day, from daylight until dark, and then he would have them tied up and have [strikeout] [inserted: them] whiped, until they became al al bludy and [9] 9 page raw from head to foot, and then rub salt al over them and let them go, this poor felow wanted me to git him a book, which i did with the gratest of pleasure, and no doubt that he can read by this time, i have never seen one negro but what was for the union and i hope that slavery will be wiped [struck: ot] out now forever, and that we may soon have peace which i believe we will without the curse of slavery, if we have to march to day I will not git to ad any more to my letter. [10] 10 page so you will know that we have gone, let me here from that money as soon as you get it, the letter was writen the 2ond of august which contains the money the sum of twenty dollars, as i have writen in diferant letters to go to indianna it is not of use to say more, but i would advise you to on the cars, and not wery your self and children, in hot weather in the wagon, so long a trip, take my advice and go on the cars. So farewell
May god give you peace and comfort.
Joseph Jones
to
Nancy. E. Jones

[envelope]
Mrs.; Nancy .E. Jones
Annapolis po
Crawford County
Illinois