Silas Stepp to Eleanor Stepp

                      prisoner camp  elmira .N.Y berrix n 3         [October 16, 1864]

                       ward 25  my dear wife  i receive your

kind note last nite of 29 of sept  i was truly glad to

here from you and here you was all well  i aint verry

well  i am about  i am better then i have bin  i had

the ganders  i hope this will come to hand and find you        [ganders = jaundice]

all well  youre note gave mee aheap of satis faction  i think

you done verry well with my horse and things  doo what

you think best  brother and pres wadkins  tom goodson

left here 11 of this inst for the South  .J.C evans  Jessee        [inst = month]

wadkins  James kyles  C morris is here in common health

i aint herd of John harris  patison is ded  britton and

grag tuck the oath and went out  tel mee if

you have got your hogs yiet that was gone  i

want you to plant 10 bushels of potatoes nex

spring  plant 7 bushels in the gim field where his

patch was  4 of the red ones  3 of white ones and 3 of white ones 

at home  the boys may have the <wesly?> patch for tobacco

doo with the land what you think best  melton was

to give 20 bushels of good corn rent  tel mee where you

soad grain  i hope the lord will spare our lives that

wee may meat one time more on earth  if not i [hope] wee

will meat in heaven  i must close  october 16  S H S

                                                                        to E Stepp