19th May Camp of Israel in Indiana State <town of Richmond>

My Dear Wife

meeting being over I sit down in my tent to write  a few lines to you to let you know that you are  on my mind and that I am sensible of the dut[i]es  of a Husband and Father and that I am well  and I pray God to let his blessings to rest  upon you and the Children and all that are  a round you untill I return to your society  the few lines you wrote and sent by the ha[n]d  of Brother Lyman gave me satisfaction and comf ort and I hope you will continue to communica te to me by your own hand for this is a consola tion to me that to convirse <with> you in this way in  my lonely moments which is not easily discribed  I will indeavour to write every Su[n]day if I can  and let you know how I am <and> Brother Fredri ck [G. Williams] will write to Oliver [Cowdery] and give him the names of  the places we pass through and a history of our jou[rn]ey  from time to time so that it <will> not be nessary for me  to endevou [endeavor] to write it but feel a satisfaction to  write a few lines with my own hand in this way  I can have the privelege to communicate some of  my feelings that I should not dare to reveal  as you know that <my> situation is a very critacal  one Brother Jinkins [Wilkins Jenkins Salisbury] and William [Smith] Jese [Jesse Smith] and Jeorge [George A. Smith] are  all well and are humble are detirmined to be  faithful and finally all the Kirtland Brothen [brethren] are  well and cannot fail I must close for I cannot  write on my knees sitting on the ground to edifica tion O may the blessings of God rest upon you  is the prayre of your Husband until death

Emma Smith

[Joseph Smith Jr.] [p. [1]]