This is the 14 day of July 1862
State of Va Richmond
Dear father and mother and Brother
I tak my pen hand to let you now that I am well hoping that thes few lines may find you all injoying the same Blesing. We ort to be thank to god for thes many bless. He has got us through. I want to see you all But cant now but if I live I will come and see you all. I want you to rite to me as soon as this letter comes to hand. I hant got mutch to rite at presant. The fight comense in July. Hit last 8 day. We whip them and tuck ten thousand prisners. Colonel Lee is dead. He got shot. Isiah hast boy is dead he got Shot. Post welch did with the fever in the hose pittle at Richmond. Sow farewell. Direct to Richmond in cear of Capt Hartsog in the 37 Ridgement of N C trops in com A. This leter is from Marion Sexton and sent to pryer sexton and mother.
Whar has bin hard for many days we ort to think that death is on ever sid of us. God is our friend. We ort to pray to god fer the many Blesing he has Be stod upon us. The first day of July & Second is sed 100 thousand men. I think we all ort to pray.
Sources: Christopher Watford, ed. The Civil War inNorthCarolina: Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Letters and Diaries, 1861-1865, Volume 1. (Jefferson,NorthCarolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2003). Original inThornton Sexton Letters, Manuscripts Department, Duke University Special Collections.
