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April 19th 1861

Dear cousin I seat myself to dorp you a few lines to let you know that I have not forgotten you yet but I recon you think I have as I have not roten to you well billy I have not mutch news to write these lines leaves me and all of the family well at this time present and I hope when these lines reach you they may find you all well and hearty billy I am almost ashame to rite to you as I rite such a bad letter and a nother thing it has ben so long since I received your hin and affectionate letter but have some ever I will endeavour to do the best I can under all circumstances well I under stand that their is some good news at last I have been in form that old Virginia has seceded at last which if she had done this three months ago I recon we would have all ben better off for she has held on so long that she made old Abe Lincoln think that she was a going to submit to his rules but I trust that will never be as long as time shall last I herd some of my neighbors say that he had ordered out seventy thousand men to come against the confederates states it makes me think about war every time I go to Greensbo

[page 2] I must say that if I have to fight Id rather be in va if I was it would be some consolation to think that I was proticing the old native state in which I was bred and born in an in which those I love next to my self lives not only parents but that pretty little girl I love so well one of the prettyest I ever saw their is a compena of artilery in Greensboro consisting of eighty men which is now ready to go to war at a moments notise I am done planting of cotton and portly worked over my earn I shall get 1 over next week if nothing happens all except six or eight Acres of late corn that I planted after I finished planting cotton

I must close as it is geting late excuse bad riteing and mistakes an give my love to all my enqireing friends and relatives and receive A portion your self tell cousin Amanda and Henrietta to rite to me and I will return and answer the best I can I have ben thinking about riteing to them some time but I did not know but what they might serve me like some of my others cousin not think enough of my letter to answer it give my love to ma and all of the rest of the family

I remain yours as ever untill death

R R Rawlings