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Mother has sent the hired hand Ellen away and consequently she has to do all the work. Now this I utterly protest against.

  I hope before you answer this she will have another one.  Our company has been mustered for their 2 months pay ($26.00) the greater part of which when we are paid I intend sending home to her which will be about $20.  And there is no way in which I would like to have it better spent than in securing for her a good easy time.  We are now encamped upon a hill near the place where Senator Underwood's house formerly stood, and which was destroyed by the rebels about a year ago.  Senator Underwood is at present United States Minister to Scotland, and it was from some of his negroes I obtained my information.   One old negro I was conversing with had reached the advance age of 83 yrs, and had been a slave from the day he was born.  Were I at home now I could listen to mother telling souther stories with