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(10 March Abby I opened this letter to put in the constution & etc Charles)

Washington D.C. March 7/49

Dear Sister Abby

              I hope you will excuse me for not writing to You of late, & I know you will feel inclined to pardon my apparent neglect, when I tell you that tis not for the want of a disposition to correspond with my Sisters I, of late Since I have been so far, I have written a sort of general letter intending each & all to have a Share of the value of its contents. Some of my last letters were written horribly bad, for I had not a decent pen.
I hope my California letters have not occasioned any one of You unnecessary uneasiness. I have been, & am Still Sincere & am waiting the arrival of the wherewith to complete my arrangements. For myself I lot upon the expedition. I have made out a complete list of the little necessities for convenience & comfort to take with me. We are not going to start unmindful of what we are to contend with consequently have thoroughly investigated the matter & Shall provide ourselves amply with all the requisites for the Journey. The flakes of gold are not so close to our eyes as to hide the great object in view & to exclude from our vision the privations which naturally must follow Such an enterprise.

[left-hand side] I rec'd Chandler's letter dated the18th mailed at Athol & the x which he enclosed. It came in a good time. I left word at Baltimore to send letters that come I rec'd it last Sunday. I hope I can sometime return a like favor.

I know many who go out to Cal. on shares that is men furnish them with capitol and receive half the proceeds. Now I want to find my own capitol & get whole instead of half, stay about a year & come home, settle down somewhere near home or in Boston, & do much better than to go now & to drag on from year to year on a little.

I write this letter to let you know I have received your letter & the money. So you may not think it lost, I am greatly obliged. I am looking for that 300 now every day. I hope you are not going to disappoint me. Now do not let my movement surprise you, all will come sound right bye & bye.

I think if nothing happens I shall come home in about a year at any rate if I am successful & work. We shall go to Independence about the 25th from here by cars & steamboats and from there join and go by waggons & etc. We shall get to California about the last of July or first of August & have 4 months to work before the rainy season comes on. I hope Chandler has sent me the money & when it comes, I will write back & tell you & you must visit soon. Chas Reed