Dear friends at home I received your kind and welcomed letter

Plantation Camp near Donaldsonvill
May 1th [18]64
Dear Friends at home
I received your kind and welcomed letter of the 5th day before yesterday and was glad to hear that you all wer well and it found me enjoying the same blessing.  Well I have not much to write but I must keep up my weekly corispondence and I hope that you will do the same for I like to know what that you are doing at home[.]  When you write lett me know just what you all wer doing the 25th of aprell [April] if you can for I was on picket that day with Marsellas Wood the feller that came up with Andrews for me and we wer wondering what the folks wer doing up north.  Well you know what Darises folks sead about him and that he did not cair any thing for his wife but I know better for he told me all about it and he that nobody knew how much he suferd unless they had the same experience[.] 
Also wheat [what] you all wer doing the 29 of Aprell for I was on picket that day at a grissmill [grist mill] wheir they ground corne for the nigers and I maid [made] a nice pooding [pudding] out of the meal without sifting and went and milked a cow so we had a nice supper[.]  and for breekfast the next morning we had fore [four] nice chickens for 4 of us and you better believe that we had a nice breekfast[.]

May 1th [18]64
Sister Emma I was very glad to hear from you and that you was learning to spinn tow so well[.]  I hope that you will try and help mother all you can[.]  you wanted to know how I like soldering[,] well I like it as yet as well as I expected that I should for we have plenty to eat and a good place to sleepe and not much to do[.]  I only have two days work to out of a week and for that reason I shood rather be at home to work[,] for I do not like to lay still so much but I suppose that we will have enough to do before long but I don’t know for we do not get any war news here so I do not know what is going on[.]  you wanted I should send you a orange leafe and some other flowers.  but there is no orange trees around hear but when I go out on another scout I will get you one and the f[l]ower their [there] is some nice wilde flowers around here but I do not know their names yet but when I find out some of their names I will send you some.  now you must be a good girle and help mother all you can so good by [bye] for this time.

May 1th [18]64
Sister Adelia I was very glad to hear from you and that you also wer learning to spin so that you can help mother the more and by the time that I get home you will have a nice tow shirt for me[.]  I suppose that you had a nice time in the shugar boosh [bush] this spring and I suppose that you and Emma have to do most all the chores such as feeding the calvs and setting the hens[.]  I believe that you have no taskes this summer[.]  well Adelia[,] you and Emma wanted to know what the ripp raps wer[.]  well I supposed that mother could tell you better than I could about them but I will do the best I can[.]  It is a place in wheir they send some of the soldiers and others that do not obey the laws of the U.S. and make them work like every thing[.]  no more at present[.]  be a good girle and help mother all you can[.]

May 1th [18]64
Mother I wrote you about sending a box to me but if you have not sent and have not got it all redy to send you neede not send any for we musterd last night for ower pay and if we get it I think that I can get the things here as cheepe as you can send them but you may send the shirt by mail and some paper envelops and stamps[.]  Well mother we have not ben out scouting much lately but I think that we will have some scouting to before longe [long] for the report is now that the gorilles are coming closser onto ower camp and steeling all the meals they can get.  Ower Captain is getting better now.  Their [there] was a boy by the name of shaw drowendid [drowned] yesterday[.]  he was drawing water for the cooks and slipped in and never came to the top again[.]  this from your son
J.R.S.