Dear father and mother

I Seat myself once more to let you no that I am well and I hop thoes fiew lines may find you all the Saim I have riten twice this week all redy but i dont no whether they will Git throught or not So i will right a Gain So i will bee Shore that you will Git one the boys is all well and belt is Going to right Some to you Ive told you all a bout the battl in the other letters and you will hear it all bee fore this Can reach you I will say there is none of the prarie boys killed or wonded So that will Suit you better than to hear the other and it Suits me better than to have to right home of any one beeing killed our Company was lucky not to any one Git hurt but Still there is time fore us yett but i hop we may never have to bee in a nother battol like the last it was awful to See us face in to 1 it Seems like a man might as well kill him Self but Still there was a Chance fore Some of us to live I will Say Some may think it is funn to Git in a battol I will Say it is if we runn them but if we have to runn it is not but then to bee in battol is funn to See each other Dodg and Duke Down when the Cannon balls Come a long Close to a fellows head I have smelt poward Stronger than i ever wont to a gain and i will bee Satisfyed when this war is over but i dont wont to wont to Go home till the war is over and i Can Come home Satisfyed but i wont them to Come to turms first i rote to you the 11th and then i rote to the Children the 13 So i Cant right much this time i will let belt right he is all right and full of funn as ever Jack Jack is at the hospitel to a wating on the wounded but i think he will bee back in a fiew Days well i guess you Can read this if you Study the Spelling book a while i have fore got how to spell but i have improved my riting I am Going to Send this with out a Stamp i went and put a Stamp on the letter i Sent with Janes and there was no need of it well i must Close for the present Give my love to all the folks and you keep a Good Share your Self this is from
your Soon B F Harrison to my father
and mother W H Harrison and rebecia Harrison
and all the rest of any folks
So Good by my friends right Soon

Transcribed by Majorie Nemitz

Dear Father and Mother,
I seat myself once more to let you know that I am well and I hope these few lines may find you all the same. I have writen twice this week already, but I don't know whether they will get through or not, so I will write again so I will be sure that you will get one.
The boys is all well and Belt is going to write some to you.
I've told you all about the battle in the other letters and you will hear it all before this can reach you. I will say there is none of the prarrie boys killed or wonded, so that will suit you better than to hear the other, and it suits me better than to have to write home of any one being killed. Our company was lucky not to have any one get hurt, but still there is time for us yet, but I hope we may never have to be in another battle like the last. It was awful to see us face in to one. It seems like a man might as well kill himself, but still there was a chance for some of us to live.
I will say, some may think it is fun to get in a battle. I will say it is, if we run them, but if we have to run it is not. But then to be in battle is fun to see each other dodge and duck down when the cannonballs come along close to a fellow's head. I have smelt powder stronger than I ever want to again and I will be satisfied when this war is over, but I dont want to go home 'til the war is over and I can come home satisfied, but I want them to come to terms first.
I wrote to you the 11th and then I wrote to the children the 13th, so I can't write much this time, I will let Belt write. He is all right and full of fun as ever. Jack Jack is at the hospital waiting on the wounded but I think he will be back in a few days.
Well, I guess you can read this if you study the spelling book a while. I have forgot how to spell, but I have improved my writing. I am going to send this with out a stamp. I went and put a stamp on the letter I sent with Janes and there was no need of it. Well, I must close for the present. Give my love to all the folks and you keep a good share yourself. This is from
your son, B. F. Harrison
to my father and mother
W. H. Harrison and Rebecca Harrison
and all the rest of any folks
So good bye my friends, write soon

—edited by Richard Harrison