J A Hatch

 

                                                Dear Son

You can have no idea what anxiety we had to hear from you after you went away nor how happy were to get your letter so full of good news

 

We thought then we should write to answer right off but your mother has waited for me and I have waited for her and now hardly know when a letter will find you the news say your Reg. has gone to Richmond to reinforce Grant but we dont quite believe it

 

shall start it south in hopes it will find you somewhere We have just learned that Charleston that nest of vipers whoose Eggs were hatched into Rebbels has been taken by our fleet they wont have much sea coast to protect I think soon if our armies keep on as they have done a few month past they can then take all their forces to Richmond or somewhere else /

 

our state is all alive and actively engaged in enlisting and mustering in recruits for the army

 

The quota of the town is only 19 about three times as many as at first it was tho't to be. They have but just found out that their number is made out or apportioned according to the number of all that have been enrolled since the war commenced no deduction having been made for any class not liable to do duty in this town since the first enrollment of their names but additions constantly made of the names of all who arrived to the of 20 or moved into town

 

The number is probably twice as much as it otherwise would have been otherwise have been But we are very patriotic have raised some 8 or 9 thousand dollars have promised the soldiers or nearly all and sending them on to the army as it is with this town so it is with other towns generally /

 

            We have had rather moderate and mild weather most of the time since you left it is now pleasant springlike weather

 

Austin is still in Chicago he came a week ago saturday night & returned monday morning he appeared to feel well and healthy as ever he does

 

your mothers health is about as when you left mine has improved materially

 

Fayette and Austin have let 120 or 30 acres of their plow land to a very good man I think

 

I have been trying ever since I began to write this of to think of some news to send along to you but I can think of none

 

We depend almost entirely upon the Rebel domains for news and we do hope & then we have some reason to think before many months the kind of news we now look for will change from war news to peace movements /

 

We have heard since writing my my letter so far that our army has taken fort Anderson at or near Wilmington

 

            I must mail my letter and perhaps write more nex time

 

yours most affectionately

                                                                                                Jethro Hatch

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