Transcription

Camp Scott Mo
December 5th A. D. 1861
Dear mother and father
    I take my penn in hand once more to let you no hogh i am giting along i will tell you the first that i had the measels a gain i rote to you that i had them once but it was not So fore i had them Since and had them hard to i wold lik to ben in a bedd at home whill i was broke out with them but i bore it like a Solger i have ben Sick to weeks to Day i am very week to M fry that is the man that went to Californey with henry he cooked me a Squirl yesterday it was good to he is the best Cook in Camp i lik him the best kind I got a letter from urita brown last week they was all well and uritas man is in the armey to and David and wesly beard air in the armey to it is worm here now but i think that it will rain before long the Capton got back last night all right a gaine you wonted me to tell you what to doo with the money now then doo what you pleas with it i dont need it now you take it and use it to Suit your Self and it will Suit me and when I wont money i will let you no it I have got plenty to last me till wee draw a gain wee will draw the first of January it aint a month till wee wil draw I have plenty of Clothes you must take good Care of my hogs and keep them till i Come home I think the old Sough done well fore me that time dont you think So tell John that i aint Drumed Since i have ben Sick much it will bee a week before i Can I shant try fore that time tell James S Coles that I will answer his letter in a fiew Dayes i git better I aint got much to right this time but you must right Soon I hope this will find you all well tell the Children that I aint fore got them no i wont for git them I must right Some to Henry and lettia to I must Stop for this tim this is from your Soon
    Benjamin F. Harrison
    to his father and mother
    W H Harrison and
    Rebecia Harrison
    Good by fore this
    tim right Soon
    I will right often
    to you

© transcribed by Majorie Nemitz


Edited Transcription

Camp Scott, Mo
December 5, 1861
Dear Mother and Father,
    I take my pen in hand once more to let you know how I am getting along. I will tell you, first, that I had the measles again. I wrote to you that I had them once, but it was not so. I have had them since and had them hard, too. I would like to have been in a bed at home while I was broke out with them, but I bore it like a soldier. I have been sick two weeks today. I am very weak, too. Mr. Fry (the man that went to California with Henry) cooked me a squirrel yesterday. It was good, too. He is the best cook in camp. I like him the best kind.
    I got a letter from Euritta Brown last week. They were all well and, Euritta's man is in the army, too, and David and Wesly Beard are in the army, too.
    It is warm here now, but I think that it will rain before long. The Captain got back last night, all right.
    Again, you wanted me to tell you what to do with the money. Now then, do what you please with it. I don't need it now. You take it and use it to suit yourself and it will suit me, and when I want money, I will let you know it. I have got plenty to last me till we draw again. We will draw the first of January. It ain't a month till we will draw. I have plenty of clothes.
    You must take good care of my hogs and keep them till I come home. I think the old sow done well for me that time. Don't you think so.
    Tell John that I ain't drummed since I have been sick. It will be a week before I can. I shan't try before that time. Tell James S. Coles that I will answer his letter in a few days.
    I get better. I ain't got much to write this time, but you must write soon. I hope this will find you all well. Tell the children that I ain't forgot them. No, I won't forget them. I must write some to Henry and Lettia, too.
    I must stop for this time. This is from your son,
    Benjamin F. Harrison
    to his father and mother
    W. H. Harrison and
    Rebecca Harrison
    Good bye for this time.
    Write soon.
    I will write often to you.

© edited by Richard Harrison