Johnsons Island O Dec 23^d 1863

 

Dear Sisters Elibbie & Jenny

                        Your kind letter of Dec 20^th is at hand and finds me well and I hope you each enjoy the same I think you ought to apollogize a good bit more than you did after so long a delay I am sorry it was so long coming and when it did come it was so small and so short yes so very short indeed

 

            Did Brother Dan get exempted from the Draft or was there too great a pressure on the provost-Marshall's Office to be or to give in their claims

 

            I am sorry to hear of Mrs Rev W^m Williams is sick I have not heard from them only what you did write What has become of Maria and Sylina

 

            Was Will Williams body brought home and I think you said David Edwards died on his way home with the body of John Prichard

 

            Elibbie Goddard is married Where is Freddie Williams William T Williams daughter now Elibbie Davis Mary Gilbert Rachel Evans Dave Davis 

 

            Do you ever see or hear from Hannah Evans or rather Jones now does she live at Granville all of this time

 

            There is a young man in Sandusky by the name of Hughs he is from Granville or Newark or on the old Welsh hills I do not know what his given name is he heard I was here so he came over to see me

 

            I heard there were some persons here to see me but no person could tell me who they were there were two gentlemen and two ladies of them I was at Sandusky that day on fatigue I have not suffered but a very little from the cold or stormy weather I received a box from Brother Dan & found Adams Arithmetic Pineas Grammar and History of Canada that was all of the books a Newark paper a cheese some butter apples socks and I think that was nearly all it was all I can think of now And I got two baked chickens I got a can of S[?] &  I can not come home when you speak if you meant new years for there will be ice on the bay and there will be great scares among our officers and they will not spare us to go on furlough until spring but I will try to come in february

 

            I would very much like to be there with you when you go home / but I do not know whether I would care about being there when any one else comes there you may think it rather strange I will tell you when I see you why I care so little about being there I have not been to Sandusky since I wrote Weavers were here

 

            I will send you and Sister Jenny 81.00 in this letter divide it between you and write to me the oftener we will have a big dinner on Christmas I wish you was here to help me eat it

 

we had the long roll night before last to fight rebels but to tell the truth the guards shot at some boys who were going for whiskey they fired 4 times before they would turn round and come back I now close

 

            Remember Your

            Affectionate Brother Dave

 

Dinner is waiting please be seated at the table the Bill of fare is pork potatoes some bread and water           write Soon

Dave

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