Camp Brownstown May 25th 1863
JH Samuels Dear Sir I wosh (sic) to say unto you as a friend that this yong (sic) man that apears (sic) before you is a proper yong (sic) man in evry (sic) shape is well equp (sic) and in military (?) and wee can most assurdly (sic) Recormend (sic) him to as a brave man and afferur (sic) of talent and (?) you will pleas confer on ous a favor that you Commision (sic) him as Lient Colonel or major in this 1st Bat in Short do us a favor by so doing you Will Vary much oblige ous in
Yours forever
Capt Jos H Barker
X many others
Transcription by Stacy Bloss, undergraduate student enrolled in Dr. Billy Joe Peyton's Fall 2010 "Introduction to Public History" at West Virginia State University