Sylvester Rideout's letter to his brother February 1st, 1863
Febuary the 1st, 1863 Dear Brother, Yesterday I got the pals and came to Pensicola and today have been walking about the town and in the graveyard it is a beautiful place and the houses are left to be inhabited by yankey soldiers and negroes. The climate is very beautiful, just warm enough. Syl and me sets at a table in a large house of which I don’t know who lived in it long time ago, but S and I is setting in a little room now about as bug as your front room with a candle burning, writing to you who lives away off there in cornsoak (?). The Steem Boat is going to Orleans and I want to send this to you. I have not much to write but I think I will send home some money soon to buy some cows and sheep but don’t know what will come up.
Maybe we will be all ded before a week. It has been more than 2 weeks and we are not all dead yet this is Izra writing Mary. You wants me to look out A have for you. I will git you A good one A good Irish man and take him home for you. You want me to write. I have written and sent you my liknes and now you say you wont write me any more to me. I don’t know what to write you must pick me out a good looking girl. You must be a good gorl and be good to Sophia and xxx the baby and feed the pigs and lug water. Gove my best respects to all the girls. Tell Juda (?) Rideout to write to me. Be a good girl and write to me as often as you can. Yours Truly, Sylvester Rideout
Albert Rideout & Myrtle Smith Marriage License April 8, 1903
