In Camp Near Yazoo City Miss

March 22^d/63

 

My Dear Sister

                                    Your letter sent by [?] was handed me some days ago and although it was a long time coming yet it was most welcomely received and I would have answered it before now but we have been marching about so much that I have not had an opportunity at least we have been travelling up and down the Yazoo River to prevent the Yankees from coming in above here. I received your letter in refference to the our compromise some time ago and answered it immediately and told you that I was willing and had agreed to make a compromise with the Estate by taking ($5000) five thousand dollars for what the Estate owed me independent of the money for the corn and fodder and as you cannot give me a note for the same you can do as you said in the your letter put it in with the other claims against the Estate and pay it when you pay them. In regard to taking notes for me part of my money I am perfectly willing to do so with good securities and the other part of the money I will kneed if I succeed in getting a substitute. I have written to Mr Hendricks time and again to try and hire me a substitute and I am afraid he is not trying very hard or he would have succeeded before now. so Sallie you must do all you can to get me one and get Mr Hendricks to do the same thing for I know I am kneeded very much at home and I cannot possibly / get home otherwise than by getting a substitute for they will not give us furloughs under any consideration whatever so you must do your best to get me one Sallie and probably you may succeed Lyd has done every thing in her power to get me one but so far all her endeavors have failed so probably she you and Mr Hendricks all together may succeed if you all try hard enough you must see Mr Hendricks and tell him to keep trying I heard up here that there was and old man over in Green County the other side of Gainesville by the name of Joe Boshell who has offered to go in the capacity of a substitute for the sum of ($3000) so you must tell Mr Hendricks to go and see him and get him for me for I am willing to give three thousand dollars for a substitute and thirty five hundred if necessary for indeed Sallie if it was not for supporting my family I would be willing to give every cent to get to be out of this war. and moreover I want to get home with Lyd and my babie and I am willing to pay a big price to get there. I am under many obligations to you for the wine potatoes &c that you sent me

 

I am not personally acquainted with your friend Banks but have seen him several times and the other two gentlemen you spoke of I never heard of them before. Neither the 37^th or 43^rd Miss Regt is in our Brigade but both are now at Vicksburg I saw Ed Mitchell not long since and I found out that he and Joe are both in the 37^th Miss. The 43^rd Miss was formerly in our Brigade but they were [scratched out] or it was taken out about 3 months ago at Grenada I heard about the marriage of Grissum and Fannie Grant and was very much surprised. I think they both were very anxious to marry. I saw Sam Swilley and John Mournette both while I as in Vicksburg and I suppose they are both there yet although I heard John Mournette was very sick and had gone home I know he was in very bad health when I saw

 

Kiss little [faded] Mamie and Neill for me and give my best respects to all my friends.

 

Nothing more at present only you must be certain Sallie to try and get me a substitute and write soon to                                                                  

Your affectionate brother

J H Manly

 

P.S. Address me 42^nd Regt Ala Vol's

Moores Brigade Yazoo City Miss

in care of Capt Mitchell.

 

N.B.

            I would pay postage on my letters but I have no stamps and it is impossible for me to get any up here and even if I could buy them here I havent got a cent of money to pay for them for they have not paid us our wages in about 6 months and there is no telling when they         J H M

will pay us

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