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Pine Bluff Ark 
May the 9th 1864

Dear sister
I now take the present opportunity of ansern [sic] you[r] kind and welcome leter [sic] witch [sic] came to hand a short time ago. I was glad to hear from you and the family and to hear that you was all well. Uncle is hear [sic] and is well and likes the sirvis [sic] vorey [sic] well. We halve [sic] had bad luck with our company since we came hear [sic] we halve [sic] had one man cild [sic] dead and one wounded and a short time ago Mioire was




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eight teen of our company detailed to go with a train down South to a little town whare [sic] General Steell was camped with the armey [sic] and when thor was coming back the rebels attacked the train and taken [sic] it and there was 14 of our company taken and cilled [sic] together. We don’t know how maney [sic] thare [sic] was ciled [sic] or wether [sic] thare [sic] was aney [sic] or knot [sic] for we halve [sic] knot [sic] heard from them since tha [sic] was taken. Marry [sic] I don’t know when I will get to come hoam [sic] but I don’t think that it will be long. I would like to come home varry [sic] well




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for I would like to see the folks and would like to see that girl of mine but I suppose that they will all get married before I get home for it appears that they can’t wait and I suppose that the next news that I hear will be that Miss Marry [sic] is married to some man. If Morgan Turner is a union man give him my best respects for I like all the union men. Marry [sic] I want you when you write to let me know what has became [sic] of Miss Riery and if she has any notion of getting married and if you see her tell her that when I come home that I alow [sic] to come and




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see her and see if there is aney [sic] chance to marry for I think that I will get married when I git [sic] home for fear that all get married I want you to tell John to stay at home as long as he can. Marry I halve [sic] not got mutch [sic] to write but give my love and respects to all the family and to all the union men and let the rebels [text illegible]. 

I will now give you the names of the men that we lost

So no more at present but remains your
Brother S.C. Zeigler 

to Marry [sic] C Zeigler 
good by [sic] Marry [sic] 
write soon and often