1863
Algiers LA May 19th

Bellevill Iron works
Dear Sister
Well Julia
I gess I will try and
see if I can write you
a few lines this morning
and let you know how
things are agoing on here
I am pretty tough now
I have just been over
to New Orleans this morning
to see Henry Hewes he is
sick he hase been in the
hospitible three or fore weeks
he told me this morning
he wanted me to write
and let his wife know
that he wase sick tell her
not wory about him for he is
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getting better now but he
hase been very sick he is
poor and weak now but is
gaining slow I wase over
thare about ten days ago
and he did not want to
let his folks know then he
wase sick as I should wrote
before he wanted me to tell
Sarah he had not herd frome
her for fore monts some of
us are over thare every day
or to to see him he hase
good care better than
the boys get that are up
the river you rember
James Chapin frome
Warwick he is dead
we are guarding the rebbles
yet we have got about three
hundred here now I have
sent home forty dollars
last week and I want
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want you to tell
Father to pay five dollars
to Walter C[rane?] Mother
for I borowed five dollars of[f]
him since we got our money
and he may do what he is a mind
to with the rest I receved a
litter this morning Frome Father
dated may the 7 and wase
glad to hear frome home and
to hear that you wase all
well I sopose the folks are
back up to puts again
all right
Well Julia it
hase got to be about 3
Oclock and I have got to
get reddy to go on guard
at fore so I shall have
to wind this letter off
soon I cant think off
much more news to tell
you as I know of I have
[page 4]
wrote about out Julia
I am on the last half
of my three years
it over nineteen monts
since I enlisted and
I think that the next
year will past fast
if nothing happens I will
soon bee amonxt you
and if I ever come I shal
have the satsfaction of
knowing that I did not
cry baby as some do to get home
but neve mind I have
got to wind up this
soon give my best
respects to all good by
rember and write them

This frome your
Absent Brother
Jairus to his sister
Julia Hammond

PS direct to
New Orleans