Home Nov 22 18/3 (1863)

                       

Dear Cousin

                                                It has been a long time elapsed since I have heard from you. I have answered your kind letter but get no letter in return I have anxiously looked & waited for a letter from her Cousin who is far away on the Battlefield striving to do his countrys call But I hope this cruel war will soon end so that our brave soldier boys can return to their native land again & enjoy the friends of their society & familys

 

            We are all well sitting by our fire side Father is writing to your Father he / ocupys one end of the table & myself the other He has a letter of Aunt Lucy Wheat stating Uncle Benjamin death He died 30^th of September he had the dropsy on the heart He died in his chair I suppose you have heard of it & Uncle Joseph Gillette of Indiana have lost their two youngest girls Elmira & Harriet they were only sick eighteen days apart before they both were corpse Father will state the particulars in his letter Diptheria is raging around in Caton yet Mr Harry Gilbert buried his oldest daughter last Friday & the other one is sick I saw your Uncle John & Aunt Phebe to the funeral they are well or was then George & Susan is well & children Mary E Beers has been very sick but is better / now William Beers is well & children Uncle Sylvester & Aunt Diademia I have not seen them in a long time Uncle Aaron & Aunt Charlotte health is not very good she is sick good share of the time W^m Gillett folks are all well W^m lives on the farm & Jennie his second girl keeps house for him untill the winter term of school begins Elizabeth Josephine Frank & Charlie live in Corning the children are a going to school W^m is going to have the threshers tuesday & have sent word to me to come & help Jennie but we are a going to butcher to morrow two hogs Charlie if I make mistakes you must excuse me Father keeps asking how such a word is spelled it sometimes confuses myself I rec^d a letter to day from Harmon Stevens he is well or was when he wrote he is Tenn in 107 Regt NYSV Aunt Lucy Wheat son Joseph is in the Army! Frankfort Kentucky Regt of Infantry Capt Howe 104 Regt Col Moor Diademia Gillette or Drake / rather is in Michigan working out by the week. She does not live with her husband she lived with him & his folks six months & he took her home & she has not seen him since he said she was not the wife for him so he dismissed her entirely I would of said good bye to you Jake. I never saw him I guess that one is as good as the other She is trying to get a bill from him We had a letter a short time ago from your Father stating how Euphemia health was I am sorry to hear that her health is so poorly but we are not our own keepers Charlie I am a going to get some Potographs taken & if you would like one I will send one in a letter to you I have writen this scribbling in a hurry have not taken any pains I am always in such a hurry when I write! Please excuse all mistakes & bad spelling This is from your Affectionate Cousin & well wisher yours in haste R.G. to C.A.G.

                       

[pencil note: age 23 yrs Rhoda Gillett]

 

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Monday morning all is well Charlie you must excuse me for directing your letter as you told me I was in a hurry & did not think anything about your directions I suppose you think I must not be in such haste so good bye

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