Note: Kate Wooderson of Katy TX has the original letters. I transcribed the letters exactly as they were written, including misspelled words.

January the 11th, 1865
State of Louisiana
Camp Jorden on Bayoh Peas

Dear Father it is with pleasure that I have the oppertunity of writing you a few lines onst more in extry good helth and I hope that they may come to hand and find all enjoying the best of helth and plesures of life. The last i herd from home your helth was bad. I was sorey to hear that nuse. I was at that time on a scout a hunting jayhawkers and there was no chance for me to get off and when wee come to the regment they drawed blanks as usual and then I tried for a speshel furlow and could not get it on account of someny being absent without leave but I still think that I will get to come home this spring if the feds don't crowd us too soon. I hope you did get enuft of our hogs to make plenty of meat. I want to know wheather you did or not and whether you have found my black horse or not. My horse has a toutch of the lung fever and nothing but corn to feed on and he has fell of a good deal. I want you if you can to get me a good sadel against the time to get to come home the one I had hurt every horse I put it on and I swapped it of for one that is near all to pieses. As for clothes I have plenty except socks. I can't get eney socks. My old cot will do me till I come home. I have drawed pants shirt and drawed shoes.
ana sc
and there is talk of drawing more. I will send you 40 musket caps that is all I cought at the present anan I can't get no pouder. I will send mother about a teacup of coffee and I will send Emley one finger ring with a star in it tell Andra that I hant forgot him. I will fetch him something when I come tell Duskey if she will help Mother knit my socks I will send or bring her a purty tell Northa and Inez if they will be good and mind their Mother I give them a present when I see them tell Silas not to marey till the War is ended or else they will conscript him and there is some boys here now that come before they were oblige to and they are regreting now as bad as every they did eneything the helth is tolerbly good. Joseph Riley died on the fifth of this month. Give my respects to all enquireing friend. I here that Marthy Furgeson has moved in that settlement and if she has tell her that she has my tood wishes and respectcts and would like to know how she is getting on and when she herd from Will and Cole. So nothing more at the present but remains your affectionate son till death.
B.W. Halbrook sc

The envelope reads:
To J,M, Halbrook
Blackjack Grove P.O.
Hopkins City, Texas


Letter written by Benjamin F. Halbrook to his cousin. This was written on 3 pages.
On the back of page 3 is written: Mr John M


Clinton Ark May 7th, 1859

Dear Cousin,
I was agreeably surprised a few minutes since by being at the Post Office, and there finding a letter from Texas. I knew it was from you. I now hasten to answer it, for I have but little time to write. I shall start in a few days to attend a course of Medical Lectures-shall be gone about four months. But if you wish to write (which I wish you would) write to Fender Halbrook, my brother, Springfield, Conway County Ark. After attending the lectures I shall be in search of a location for the practice of Medicine - Should be glad to get some information relative thereto Though I hope you have a healthy country. The health of this county is now, tolerably good. The Halbrro families are all well here. And I heared from Tennessee and Kentucky, not long since, and they are all well there. Uncle Wm and Aunt Judy are alive and going fast-May live ten or fifteen years yet. Uncle John, in Tennessee, and Father and Mother in Kentucky were alive last account.
You say you have a good many pretty girls in your country. The same here. But that certainly is a very grand inducement to me to migrate to your country now, if you will find me a good location for the practice of Physic, and some of those pretty girls that want to marry, perhaps I may come. Now I need not have said find girls that wish to marry, for everybody says that they all desire marriage and he knows fore he has talked with them all. But I don't know, for I have never asked any of them.
John, please ask some of them, inquire diligently into the affair (for I have not time, this summer:; get Cousin ____ ol where is the letter____your wife! Your Lady! - my Cousin of course! - Hand your meaness why did you not give me her name! But get her to help you and every oblige your friend and cousin.
Ben F. Halbrook
I have no envelope without going out in town after it. You said that the letter you received from me was dated February 1858. It was only a mistake. It was written February 1859.