Franklin County: David Demus to Mary Jane Demus, January 24,
1865
Summary:
Demus writes that if it wasn't for the black troops fighting for the Union, the war might
last another ten years. He also says he feels lucky to have remained safe in the war.
[Image of a United States flag in front of a rising sun.]
Mary Jane Demus
Jenawary the 24th/65
Morris iland
south C
Dear
i heave bean think Riteing you a few lines to inform you that i am Well at present and I hope Whean thes fu lines Reach you tha Ma find you injoing good healte i am going to [unclear: state] a [unclear: solders] letter But i hope that you Will Rite a sort letter to ansr this letter Wiy you Can see that i had Nothing to doow and i thot i Wod spnd the [illeg.] Day and Rit i hope Whean i get Back a gane Wiy i Will heave soming else to Dow on sundy fer i Cod injoing Mi Celf Biy tock to you and tell you What a soldurd life is and how tha heaft to get a long But i Can tell you that Whean a Man set dow and study a bout his [unclear: daners] that he hast to put [unclear: thow] But a Mi Dear Jest let Me say to you if it had Not a bean for the Culard trups Wiy this offel Ware Wod last fer ten years to Cum but Now it Wis plane to see that if We all had a stade at hom Wiy What Wod a becum of us Culard peapel We Can say Now how Can say [unclear: tha] [unclear: dun] Wiy us Culard Men Was the [unclear: Cuson] of this ofel Rebelon Was [unclear: averry] Now i Can tell u that i heave sow som hard times but With all i Can say that i heave got out safe so fer and Withe all the peapele say that i am a lukey Man but still i hope that i May stay out of the [unclear: Cumeny] but i heave bean out of the [unclear: Cumeny] for all Most too years and if god spears Me to stay out a bout [unclear: fortten] Munth Wiy i Can Com Cum home safe but if i live to get home Wiy i thot that i Can stay at hom a What a happy time We Will heave a happy Day and a happy Nighte to gether But i hoppe that you and I Ma live to get together a gane a What a happy time We Will heave and i think that We Will Never [unclear: bart] a gane a Mi Dear whean you Rite to Me wiy Whean i get yor letter Wiy i jest heaft to go and look at yor Dear and lovely face and then i Will lok at yor Dear lovely face and then i think a What a folhelsch Boy i Was to leave you behind and Cum a Way so far Whean i Cant see you a tall but Whean i think of the pleaser that We Will heave at When i Dow get hom i think that i make oup From all the last thee years But Whean i get hom Wiy i Can tock a Mile [unclear: fer] to mak up fer all but still i ant the only Man but i think that tha Will be a grate Meny of as Meny [unclear: Relist] a gane for 5th years but i dont think that unkel sam has got Muny a nuf to Relisnt Me a gane but still if you think i had better tey in the army Wiy i ant a going to Dow it fer i think i heave bean out long a Nauf now to see the day
