Rolla Missouri Apr 27^th 1863

                       

Dear sister

                   I received a letter from you last night dated Apr 17^th and will now try and answer it I am well as usual and have had a good time all winter. I have been here in this town just three months to day and it has been the longest three months I have seen since I have been in the service

 

I dont know how long we shall be here but I think not a great while the General has gone to St Louis and we shall know better when he gets back how long we will be here 

 

You may tell Con that he needn't send me any money but if he has got five dollars to spare he for me he may pay it to Mother for I can get along a few days yet without any

 

I wrote him a letter a few days since and enclosed ten dollars in it for Father and if that goes through all right I will send some more as soon as I hear from that. Well it is trying to rain a little and I hear it thunder occasionally

 

I have never received a letter from Francis since he left Millwauke I wrote two to him and directed to Millwauke / but dont know whether he ever got them or not

We got news last night that General Vandever had whiped the Rebels at Pilot Knob and was now in hot pursuit taking quite a number of prisoners and killing a number of them the rebels were commanded by Marmaduke and Coffee I dont think our men will get them for they are a couple of slippery generals

 

Tell Ada I will go and get my likeness taken and send it to her Tell Free Park that I would like to be there to help him eat sugar this spring I will write to him in a day or two No more this time I will close by hoping this may find you all in good health My best respects to all inquiring friends Good bye from Free

                                               

To Adaline

 

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You need not send me any more P.O. stamps for I can get them here now we could not get them here to the P Ofice this winter untill a short time since

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