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Scipioville Cayuga Co N. Y. Sept 18th 1866 Miss C. H. Everett, Dr madam, Yours of the 15th inst. is just received, and, having wrote you in regard to the needlecase, I willingly answer both letters, as it was with this intuition that I wrote my communication to you, in regard to both letter and needlecase. Perhaps, it may be a disappointment to you to know that your needlecase fell into the hand of a Chaplain in the Army, instead of one in the ranks, but, its history in either case is not lost, though, perhaps more interesting had it come in possession of the latter I suppose it is generally thought, that Officers in the Army were able to have, and in fact had, all their need supplied, this supposition, no doubt arose from the fact that their pay was more than that of a private. So far as pay is concerned they did have more per month than those in the ranks, but, alas for both Officer and private! the contingencies of war often brought them both as a level point of want, and both have had to be companions in tribulation frequently, though the one might have had a higher salary than the other. In consequence of this I have seen Officers looking much worse in appearance than those under them, and so far as food was concerned those in the ranks would have their rations while the Officers would have none; simply because the government had not paid the latter, while they were obliged to furnish food to the former. This however was not always the case, as both have been brought into circumstances when food & clothing was insufficient, because supplies were

sideways P.S. may I ask if you once lived in Mount Upton, Chenango Co N. Y. ? I knew a family of your name there, years ago