Line of battle near The James River
July the 1 1864

Dear Wife I seat my self to Write you a few lines to let you know that I am yet amongst the living I can inform you that I am well hopping these few lines may find you all well aand doing well I can inform you that we have got to vary good place on the account of fiting I can inform you that thay have been a fiting vary hard about Petersburg _____ the ______ it is a bad chance to get letters through on the account of the railroads a being cut in too and and it will be some time befour it will be for use the boys is tolerable well at this time the Yankees throught som chearns over at us acasionly but thear is no damage done yet we _____ plenty and we have _______ tobacco twiste Since we been on this march thea is but three days if old grant to come on yet if he he don't get to come to Richmon till the 4 of July I think he will leave and go bac thought I don't know if he will I could Write heap but I don't know if I will have time I have writtins too letters to you Since I have got any one I write one to pillip and one to pah but I don't now if you got them of not by the railroad being cut in too this letter I will sende letter by mail ____ neal to maile it for me so I think it will get home I wood like to know if HH Caldwell has got home or not I heard that he got a Sixty days furlow but never got as on the account of the road a being cut but I hope he got home I heard that thay had a hard fight a bout stony creek yesterday and we a whip them and taken a lot of preseners and waggones and artillery So I will come to a close by asking you to write when ever the mail will come throught so no more at present
yours as ever

Isaac L Summit To Mrs Perlina Summit

Camp near orange C_____
April 18th /64
Deare Wife

I Seat my self this morning in order to answer your kind letter which came to hand yesterday that was served the seckeon of this instan I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that you was all well I can you that I am tolerable well at this time I think my helth is a getting better than it has been for some time I hope these few lines may reach you all and find you all well I haven't anything of importence to write to you at this time only we ____ to know the what minit we may be called on to leave this place________ I can tell you that the sack is yours and the straps is Caldwell I can tell you that A visit to the 32 regiment see J__S__ Crouse and the rest of the Boys that I was acquainted with I can tell you that he was well and The rest of the boys and ________ said he was A come up to see us all and I saw Augustus Robinson he is in the 32 regiment in co B him and Lawson Witherspoon and Several others that I was Acquainted with when you write !

Again tome I want you to write some more About the farm you never told me how the wheat was A doing nor how Ammon Bumgarner was A getting a in of the Cotton and what part he is to give you out of it or weether he is A picking any of the bottom off or not and I allsow I want you to write oftener than you have ben A doing the last letter was wrote this 2 and maila the 7 seventh of this instant I can tell you that we air Aenjoying our Selves with our boxes I can tell you that the boys is all generously well and adoing well So I will bring my letter to A close by asking my too littles gales to be good little girls and abey your mother so nomore at present so I remain your as wever.

 I have done my best to transcribe the letters that Isaac wrote during the Civil War to his wife Perlina Summit. They were very difficult to read. Within time I may be able to figure out more of what they say in parts. I hope you enjoy these fascinating letters that were found in his Bible, now in possession of Geneva Ennis of Maiden, Catawba County, North Carolina.

--Glen Summit  5 Aug 2001

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Created 10 Aug 2001