This letter was transcribed by Vicki Betts from the Footnotes website, a subscription database.

Hope Cottage, Texas February 7th 1864 My Dear Mother, As Doctor has just finished writing to Pa I have seated myself to write to you, knowing you would like to hear how we all were and how I am getting along with my household affairs. I hope this letter will find you all well. I send it through by a gentleman who was taken a prisoner by the Yankees and is now going to his home in Mississippi. I hope you will get it in good time. I wrote you by the Army mail in Dec. which I hope you have received ere this. This leaves us all well. Our family has been very healthy, no sickness, but there has been a great deal all around us. I think we have the healthiest place in the country. I think it is is [sic] owing to our good water, as most every one else has mean water to drink. My dear children they keep well and _I_ think are the _sweetest_ that ever lived. Oh! you don't know _how much_ company they are for me as Doctor is gone _so much_ it seems to me he never is allowed to stay at home a half hour, he has so much practice, all the physicians are in the army, except one or two. Mary Elizabeth just came in with a handful of goose quills. I wish so much you could see her, every night she says her prayers before going to bed and has nearly learned them by heart she talks very often about going to see Grandma and Grand Pa when the war is over, (which I pray will be soon) she has learned all about _Santa Claus_ and talks a great deal about her things he gave her Christmas. She has a great many songs she sings and plays on the Piano. Laura Earle is one of the finest children you ever saw, at one month old she weighed 15 pounds, every one that has seen her says she is the largest child they ever saw at her age she favors our family, all the family thinks she looks like Pa. I think this quite a compliment to my little daughter. Doctor and I often have a dispute about which one of our children is the prettiest, but if I can only make them as good as they are pretty I will perfectly satisfied. I want to bring them up as they should be, to love and serve God, to have a sweet disposition and to love to work. Doctor has gone down on the Navadad to see a patient, a distance of 10 miles will not return until in the morning. Josephine's oldest little girl is staying with us at this time to see if a change would not cure her of the chills. She has been having them ever since she moved out. I am looking for her Ma up this evening I hope she will come as I will be alone tonight--all of her family are well, brother Moses and [illegible] has been home on a furlough a few days, they left for camps yesterday. they were looking _very well_ and seemed to be in good spirits about our success in this unholy war. brother Major and his family is are [sic] all well. Sister Malissa is in Galveston. Mr. D's [?] family are all well and family [written above--not sure where it goes]. They are staying at brother Majors attending to his business. We are having beautiful weather now. I think spring has apeared [sic] in Texas every one is preparing as fast as they can to plant. Doctor is now planting corn, this year he intends planting some cotton as it is the only thing that will buy anything our money is getting to be so no count no one will take it. I have planted some garden seed but they will not come up until we have a rain, which we are needing _very much_, we have had some very severe cold weather this month the coldest I ever felt it has killed all the grass and a great many cattle. the stock in Texas is poorer than I ever saw them. I am afraid our soldiers will have to eat poor beef for a while about 20 of our soldiers froze to death during the cold spell at Velasco, a very sad affair 2 brothers froze to death hugging each other around the neck. I recon [sic] you have seen an account of it in the papers, if this war ever ends I want to leave this country I think it is the poorest place to live in I ever saw, you just can make enough to live on and that is all, and we have such mean people, a great many of our nearest neighbors have left their families here and gone to Mexico to keep from fighting for their country. They are so envious of one another, I want to get away. as for myself I never have anything to do with them. I never care about going any where. I stay at home all the time and try and clothe my family. all I want is my children and Husband to be with me and I am satisfied. I cannot say I am happy for I think about you and Pa and my sisters and brothers being so far from me perhaps never to see again but oh! God forbid, and my dear brothers that are dead and gone never to see again and it nearly runs me crazy. I hope and pray we may all get together again and live near each other. How are you getting along making cloth. I hope well. I make some but

cannot get along very fast with it. How do you make out for calico and domestic? we can get it plenty here yet by paying very high for it. we are not standing in need of anything yet but I am afraid we will if our state is invaded. I never buy much we try to live on as little as possible, all the wheat crops have been killed by the cold weather so I am afraid we will not have much flour this year. Joan and children are well she sends howdy to all the negroes. Give my love to Sis and tell her I want to see her so much. I want to see her dear little boy Tommy. I often think about how much pleasure she Cousin Helen and myself used to have together. Give my love to Cousin Helen and tell her to write to me. I love so much to get letters from her. Give my love to all my relations _every one_ and tell them I hope I will see them all again and enjoy their company once more. Kiss Walter, Jimmie, Laura and Ann Eliza a thousand times for me. oh! _how much_ I would give to see the dear creatures and hug them around the neck. Mary Eliza and Laura Earle sends a heep [sic] of kisses to thier [sic] Grandma and Grand Pa, Aunts and Uncles, tell all the negroes howdy. I would like to see Rock [?]. Give my best love to Pa and Pa Cook. I will now close as I have nothing more to write I hope we may all live to meet again is my constant prayer. Doctor sends much love to you. write whenever you can get an opportunity to send a letter through. From your loving and devoted Daughter. Margaret J. Cook. http://www.footnote.com/image/3044042 (subscription)