New. Orleans Aug 5th 1863

Dear Sisters
I receved your & Julia kind and
welcome letters of the 23rd and
wase very glad hear that you all wer
well I havent much news to
tell you that will bee at all
interesting to you I am well
at present or pretty near well
I have got some dam boils
on my shoulders thay dont
feell very comfortable all the
time but other ways I am well
I hope Sumner wont pass
an examination for I never want
to see eny of my friends or
relation in the army I know
the rules and regulations in
the army to well but if he is
[page 2]
fit for military servis I dont know as
it is eny worse for him than it is
for eny boddy else the[y] [1] hase somebody
got to go but let them get this
child the second time and thay have
got to bee smarter than I am this
kind of a life does well anough
if eny body likes it perhaps he would
if a man wants to get along well in the
army he must spruse up ke keep
every thing in good order keep
his gun and equipments clean
brasses [2] bright shoes black ec: then
if he is eny ways smart he will
get favors bee promoted you did
not know that your humble sarvint
had gained an apointment did
you for good behavior and military
disipline and that is about all
all I care for it to have the time
pass as fast as possible want I glad
to see some of them names on
[page 3]
the list of drafted men I hope
some of them will have to go during
the ware if it is ten years
when you see mss [taty?] just
tell her that I would like to eathe
have them letters put in a package
and sent to me or destroid
she can keep the rest of the things
if she has got enything as long as
she is a mi[n]d to I have got her
miniture yet whe and I shall
send it along back before a great
while then if she has got mine
she can give it up
unless she thinks more of it then I do of hers
I dont know what
else she has got that ever I had only
that locket that she can keep or
eny thing else for I think that
she hase all reddy paid for them
this letter must do for you and julia
both for it is to much work for
me to wrte to letters at one time
tell Sarah Lewis that I dont think
[page 4]
that Henry left eny word for her
I have just been talking with one
of our men that wase in the
hospitille the same time that henry
wase sick and wase with him all
the time and he says he did not
say say eny thing about eny boddy
I dont sopose he thought that he
wase agoing to die till it wase
to late for he did not speak for
twenty fore ours before he died
he got so weak that he couldent
he said that the last words that
Henry spoke wase to him and told
him to move his bed he says that
he had his reason till he died but
could not speak tell Sarah that I cant
tell her enything more about her money
than I have for the Capt went home
on a fur lough the 2ed of july and
hase not got back yet but I think
it is safe anough for I think
that Capt will do what is right about
it I believe that I have wrote about
all that I can think of this time
write soon as you can all of
you good by

This frome your Brother
Jairus T Hammond
U.S Army

to Nancy & Julia
[3] PS I forgot to tell you when I receved your letter it
was this morning