Monday April the 13 /63
Dear Charlotte
I wrote a letter to you yesterday but I received your kind letter a fiew minutes ago and I read so much sad news in it that I thought I would answer it first thing. I done looked some for a letter Sadurday but I thought perhaps you wouldent write untill yesterday. So I was not so mouch disappointed but to day it came. I was verry glad to hear from you but very sorry to hear that the dreadful diszease dipthera has got amunst you. Oh how fraid I be it will reach little Matie. As you say she is fleshey and if she should get it I know she never would get well. You had better see the doctor and get something for her cold. Perhaps he could give something to prevent it. Mr. Dingmans have got a hard triel. I feele verry sorry to hear such news. I hope there wont be eney more such caces. You must try and take good care of yourself and Matie. You had better try to get a girle to worke for you so you wont have eney thing to do but take care of yourself and Matie. I know you will do the best you can. You feele verry lonesome discouraged and bad. You musent worry about me. I dont have it half as hard as you. You are alone and there is so mouch going on here that I cant get verry lonesome. The talk is now that we are agoing to the dock to do provost guard duty . If we do we will have an easy time. They have got to have guards on the boats and on the cars and on the dock. That will be the most of our business if we go there but I cant tell for sertin whether we will or not. I heard to day that the front army was moveing. I guess there will be some fighting done soone. I heard they was going to get reenforcements from Washington and leave us here. I hope they will. Generl Hooker seas he is agoing to put a change in the war one way or the other within ninety days. I hope he will. If I have got to fight I want to do it now. You musent be afraid about my going into the battle. I dont mouch think I will. I think a good deal of my pillow. I find my head rests better. You must write often. I worry a great deal. My mind is home the most of the time. I am so fraid Matie will have the diptheria. You must try and ceep up good courage. If I ever get home again I shal stay and spend the rest of my days with you and our folks. I hope the time will soone come. No more this time. I will write again soon. Ciss little Matie for me. I send my love to you and to our folks.
Good buy Dear Charlotte
Charles
I am well with the except of a cold. I hope this will find you all well. That horehound candy ceeps my cough loose.