1862 October 30 Norfolk, Va.

         October the 30  1862
                       Norfolk, va.
i received your kind note to
day and thair contain in it
w five cents peaces in it and also
one postage stamp i received
a letter from John the 28
and it contained 2 dolars that
he sent to have my likeness
taken with so i went down
to the sity and had too taken
one for margate and one for
youre self  pleas pay John
back one dolar for they only
cost 1 dolar a peas i sent
one dolar to you the last
letter i rote to you I was
glad to here that our folks
was a goin a riding i wish i
was thir to go a long why
dont you go you nead not stay

[page 2]
at home because i haint
thir you had better go and
in joy your selef with them
you spoke a bout going to
meting last sunday iam
glad you can go to meting
you also spoke a bout the
tex and whir i wold find
it i never told you that
i lost my bible i lost
it at the battle of fair
oaks along with my other
things but we have got one
in the room and i will
look and find it as soon
as i git my dinner off
you wanted to no if i
had bin permoted or not
i have not bin nor i dont
want to be i like it better
whare i am a cooking for
i can keep my selef in
money to buy tobacca and

[page 3]
other things with i sold
my cigars for 25 dolars and
got a nuf left for my
one smoking but i dont
git my pay till we git
pade from the government
you spoke a bout cosen
martha fealing bad becaus
i did not write to her when
i write to you i expect it
too do for all of you i am
as well as usual and
when this fiw  fiew lines
w reaches you i hope they
will find you the same
well it is a gitting all
moste dinner time and
i will half to close
buy saying good buy
from youre husband
edward Shepard Drect
as before

Edward Sheppard, 7th New York Light Artillery

MSS 12631