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Cedar Grove Jan the 15, 1865
Dear Brothers,

I recon you almost feal like you was forgoten but you are not for we havent had aney mail since the yankees came to Abington til a few days a go pa got some papers and he said I could rite now.

We are all toleberl well Vince is not aney better onley he can eat more that usual he has got a crutch to walk with the yankees left us all on small rations we had killed seven hogs & one beef and they took all of the sausage and all the sows and ever joint fo meat but one they just left us eleven midlons we live on fat meat and corn bread the yankes took a set of knives & forks and all of our big spoons but one and all the beef Jin & theof & Jim Williams took some of the peenes & and the horses down to uncle hortens they just did get a way we seen the yankes comeing by uncle sames as Jim went out of sight uncle sames fols just run off and let the yankees have their horses they got Grans horse & Martha Kelleys two horses & two more and a bout all of their meat levi passed himself off for one of their black ones and he caryed seven peaces down stairs and threw it under the bed that was all they saved and they took some of the girles clothes they did not take aney of our clothes one yankey told us to follow them every where they went and we did Ma followed them up stairs and in the smoke house til she could hardley get up when she was down we did not say aney thing to them nor them to us pa talked with one man a while and one man told pa he wanted his shoes pa told him he could not get them and two men told him not to take pas shoes and a nother man called pa out and told him to go out of the house a while so he did not get pas shoes Jim just had thrashed and took a little wheeat to the mill and the yanks took all of our meal & all the flower and beged for more the negroes broke some of our croks yes and killed a good many chickens and took rite smart corn & took the aH pa is fatning three hogs, they took all of uncle vinces meat and some clothes and 1500 dollars of govenenment money from uncle vinces uncle vince started up the road to see where the yanks were & he met them at cousens marys and they run him as far as Mr. Bausels he did not stop at home he hust kept kicking to get a way they just rode over our steps there was about 50 betwen the house and smoke house besides what was in the house they was the dirtest nastes men I ever seen they tore down the bee gums and brought the honey in the house and eat like hogs hayes we have made you & cum a pair of jeenes pants & lined them but I dont know whether Ma will risk sending them or not Capt Smith said he would take your gloves etc. socks but I dont know when he will leave
Martha J. Gilmer

hayes I seen your girl the other day she said she was going to make her sweet hart some shouger Mr Bausel has got our shouger camp again

I recived your letter you sent by hand Capt Smith said you both would get home this winter

hayes I could write 6 sheats and then not tel you half tel Cum we are a dreaming and looking for him