Manchester Tenn. Dec 6^th 1862

 

Mr J.C.Yoakum

                        Dear Brother   It is now ten Oclock and we have not left this place yet I do not think we will start before tomorrow morning. It has now cleared up and I am in hopes we will not have any more bad wether soon. I wrote to you while we were at Louden since that time nothing of particular interest has happened. Every thing is high and hard to get at that. We have to pay from one dollar 25 cents to one dollar per dozin for apples .50cts for half moon pies, from 15 to 25cts per lb for for pork; five dollars per bushel for potatoes and other things in proportion. It is almost impossable to get any thing in the way of clothing Verry course Janes sells for five dollars per pair We cannot buy any thing without giving the highest kind of prices. When you get this letter I want you to write to me and let me know how you are getting along at school. I want you and Georg to go to school and learn as fast as you can for your school days will soon be over and you can never call them back again If you ever intend to make a schollar of yourself now is the time to do it / If you do not study and get knowledge while you are young you will regret it when you become a man. If Mother will send Sister America to a good school I will pay her tuition and bord let it cost what it will. I was sorry to hear that there was no school that she could be going to. I am in hopes she has started to school before this time I want to give you a few words of advice and I hope you will follow it. You are now the oldest child at home and you should study yourself and be a man in principal for there will be a great deal devolving on you, for Father is in a condition that if you will take things off his hands will render him more hapiness than any thing you can do for him. Try to please him in every thing and then he will know that you have tried to pleas him whether it does it or not: You should be verry particular in every thing you do and say not to give him any trouble. If I could see you I could talk to you a week without stopping. I have not time to write any more at present

                                                                                   

Your Brother Isaac

 

Address           I. M. Yoakum

                        Murfreesboro Tenn

                        11^th Texas Dismounted Cav

                                                            Co F

SOURCES