Dear father It is with mutch plesure that I seat my self to Let you now that I am well and well satus fied hoping that when these few Lines coms to hand that they may find you well and Doing well I Recevied your cined Leter yesterday sep the 23 1861 and was glad to hear that you was all well and you said that if anderso tow Rote to me A Bout the contract Between you and him for to not Answer him I shal not But if you want to now the contract Right and I can c tell you the con tract viry quick I wold Like to see you all very well But it is out of my Pour now But I hope it wont Be Long tell

Can get to see you all I cant Right you eney More news for wee cant get eney for I Dont think they is mutch A sturng Now at this time I think the yankeys has most giv it up all that was Don as wee cam Down Jack Dunkin got Drunk and him and charly hall [i.e., Sgt. Charles M. Hall, Co. G, 1st North Carolina Cavalry] fell out and Blasingame [i.e., 2nd Lt. John G. Blassingame, Co. G, 1st North Carolina Cavalry] tryed to make him hush and he woldent Doit and Blesingame struck him tolerable Bad Dunkin said and at sals Bury Hall go and Brown got to Drinking and hall picked Brown and hurt him tolerable Bad Brown from henarson [i.e., Henderson County] Wee Drill with yankeys guns every Day they was take from them at Manasas
     No more at presant
     onely Remain your son untill Deth

J A Shipman to A R Shipman