(Some punctuation added.)
Wrightsville, York County, Pa.
April 14
(Some time after the Civil War.)
Dr. R. B. Bontecou my dear friend. i was glad to heare from you and now i must tell you that i am still a live but sufpher very mutch and if you could see me i know that you would pittey me. i never can go no plaice but must set in my bed all the time. i have paide well deare for fighting
for my contary and can never enjoy the fruits of it. i have not walked for thirteen years and i am nothen but a reck and the poore soldier is forgoting and there is nothen caird about the poore cripple that the war has made up here were i live. but i am glad that you still think of me.
you asked me to tell you how mutch pension i get. why i get six hundred dollars a year but that does not keep me as i should be kept for there is many things that i need that i cant get. for it takes all that money to keep me a home. There is one hundred dollars Bontey(?) money coming to me yet that i never got and i gess i never will get it either. government ain't doing right by the soldiers atall. you said that you would like to have a large photograph of me but i cannot go out of the house to get it taken. it would be impossibel for me to go any where atall to get one taken, on less you could have a good man to come to my home to take it, then it could be done easly the way you want it.
and the neares photographer liven neare me (?) little. he lives in cloumbia, lancaster county, Pa. so you can wright to him all about it, but he would have to come over to my home to take one for you. that is the oanly way that it can be done. oh i wish that you would take that mutch time to come just wonce to wrightsville to see me for your self. you would be surprize to see me and why not come. it would oanly take you too days to come to where i live and i would love to see you wonce more. So do try and com.
Alexander Rider
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