The Poteet Letters


	Francis M. Poteet to his wife, Martha A. Poteet

Camp near Kingston NC
November 3 1863

My Dear Wife and Children,

was _____ the 29 of oct and was glad to hear from you and hear that you was better. I am well but not satsfied. I want you to tell Mr M_____d to git up that paper and git evry body to sine it that he can and I will do all that I can for him. I left Weldon Monday morning. I mit your letter thare. I am at Kingston. I dident git any thing to eat til Just now. I Just thot that I could not git thare dinner. Come to day about 4 clock. you dont know what I have to stand. you Rote Somthing, Sis. I would love to see her and all of the ballans of you but [p.1] Lord knows whether I ever will are not. Sumtimes I think that I Will Runaway. I would like for you to Rite to me about that. tha is Eight ar ten will Come With me any time that I will. you Rote to me About the first letter that I Rote I give it to the Surgent And that is the last of hit. Mooney sent one at the Same time and his wife dident git it. you said for me to not Be oneasy about it I aint oneasy anything. only that I dont now whether I ever will are not but I think that I will See you against Christmast. I pray to the lord every day and night to Spare my life to Come home and see you all again. I am about thirty five miles nigher than when I was at Weldon and I have crowst [p.2] the big Bridg back on this side. it is about forty feete high from the watter and about half mile long. I dident now how to cross it. if I Runaway Last night I Just lay out in the open Old field. you Rote that if I could be at home to go with you to the shucking that you would be glad. If I could I would give Ever thing that I am worth to be with you. if I cant be with you I pray that the Lord may be with you and help you as mutch as if I was with [p.3] tha could go noplace Els but it tis alie for I Cant Come. You Rote that you wood Come hear to see me if you was abel. I will Send you sum money as soon as I git it. I think that we will draw in afew days and then you Can Come and see me if higgins Comes that will be A good Chance for you to Come with him and fetch me a box of cakes and peaches and sum good apels. I dont Git more than half nuff to Eat. I have Spent about ten dollars for sumthing to eat. I giv one dollar for ten cents cake. I must come to Aclose by saying that I Remain your loving husband until Death. I could not git my letter. it is now Sunday and I had to go on Dres parade. we go on Dres parade about sundown every evening [p.4] [unsigned]