Letter, Granville W. Belcher to Mary Caroline Belcher; 14 December 1863

              December the 14 In camp near Kinston, NC
My Dear Caroline,
I take the pleasureful opportunity of writing you a few lines to inform you that I am well as to health but one of my ankles is not well. Yet it is a verry some place yet we are in our quarters. At this time thare is ten of us that stays together with me and Henry Belcher. I am verry well peased with my crodd (crowd) that stays with me but I would be mutch better pleased to be with you and my little George. I have lost all confidence in our gaining our independence. We are a lost people. There is so many men that will run away from the army next Spring when their three years is up. At least one third of the men swears they will go home at the risk of their lives. If they do, what few is left will have a hard time of it. I am not willing to take the chanses when I have to fight 5 or 6 men at the time. That precisely the way this ware is carried on. I will it for you loock at if you can make anything elce of it. You can see deep into the pumpkin than I can. They say they will have all the men that has put in substitutes back in the army again and what wil that do but create a great dissatisfaction. There is as mutch justice in bringing men back as there is in makeing the men that has bin here