Letter written by M. G. Love (Michael Garmon Love, son of Jonah Love) to Mrs. P. F. Love (Phoebe F.) and family
- copied exactly as written

P. F. Love July the 23 – 1862 Lynchburge, Va. Deare companion I seat my Self this Day Be twen Eleven and twelve oclock to trie to write you a fue lines to let you noe how I am. I am well and harty at this time for which I feal thankful to god for his Blessings Be Stoed on me hoping when these fue lines Reach you kind hands thae may find you and the childron in the Same State of health. Deare companion I received a letter from you this morning that Moses Sides Brought to me, your letter found me well and hartey and hit gave me grate satis faction to heare that you and the childron was all well. Dear companion your letter found me in putery gwod spirit. I Some times think that pease will be made Be fore long. Thae sae that thae are Exchangen prisners now and that is Rerisen the South. thae sae hit is a gwod sine of pease. Page Two Deare companion I can State to you that one of the yankes heare got Shot yesterday morning Bout Day, he under tuck to crose the gard line and the Sentenal holted him thwe times and had to Shwot him Before he could make him Stae Back, he Stwod up and gave about thwee Steps and holerd thre times, he then fel and Sune Expierd. The Senternal Done what was his Duty to doe acording to the orders that he had. Thare was one of the Surthen mens Shot in town the Same time, he was one of the caverley – he was frome Georgia Soe I have heard he was shot rite Be fore the Dore of a grossey. Thae Don’t noe hwoe shot him. Deare companion I wod be vary glad to Sea ou and the childron thoe I Don’t now whether I will get to Sea you all until pease is made or not thoe if we git our money and can get a furloe that will Justicfi me in comen I will come So turne over Page Three the Distance is most twae fure and cost most twoe mutch for to come to Stae thrwe or fore Days for you will nead all that I can make over what I will Be oblige to kwep – we nead money heare in camp when we are Sick we cant eat Sutch as we can Draw. Deare companion Don’t greave for me Be cause I am absent frome you. I will trie to take ceare of my Self until I come home and I want you to trie to Doe the Same. Hit is true hit wod Be grate Stis faction to me as well as to you to be at home with you and my little childron and my people thoe one have to Stand in the Defense or our beloved country and whie not me as well as eney Bodey else. Thare are you ad my children and my father and mother and our property has to Be protected and hit Seames a same By my Self of my fathers family that is willin to luse my life for the liberty of our childron and for the welfare of our Be loved country. Page Four P. F. Love Deare companion trie to get along as well as you can, I think that the lord will spare my life to return home again in pease un to you that if hit is the will of the lord to carry me awae frome this Earth to another world unknown. I hope to meat you all in heaven whare parting will Be now more. I want the prars of you and all of my friends that I mae prove faithful until Death Soe I mae live unspote frome the world and mae Be fuly prepared to Die hapey an Be Saved in heaven. Deare wife I want you to write to me as Sune as these fue lines Reach yo kind hands. Soe I will bring my letter fo a close By Saing I ever Remain yo loving husborn un til Death and I will to all of you. I got a letter frome you the Same Day that I started the other one after hit was mailed. M. G. Love To Phoebe F. Love