1861
Newberyport Je27th
Friend Joseph how do ayou do
I take this oppertunity to
inform you of the doings
here at home and also to
find out what you are
doing and how you like
a life of the soldier I sent
you letter a month ago
but it seems you did not
get it I got a paper
from you a few days ago
now Joe tell us the truth
is it fun to be a soldier
or not as think of going
to enlist for three year
in D F Broons companys
write to me and send
all the news you can
scrape up It is as
still as Sunday here
[Page 2]
all the time nothing
to do here to get a dollar
shoemaking from 8 to 10
cts a pr wages to go a
fishing 12 and 15 dollars
a month no show here
only the army when
do you think you
you will get home
about the first of
August Jim Westcutt [1]
company is in N York
John Pendar is with
him there I am at
work on shoes for
John D Pike for 18cts
13 cts a pr I must do
one thing or the other
go to war or to sea
I wish I had went
when you did in
the Cushing Guard [2] do
you like well enogh to
[Page 3]
go again for three
years how much pay
do you get do you
get any fucking out
there I supose you do
have to take your
fist and draw him off
how are all the
rest of the boys
there pleas to write
and let know I will
send you a Newburyport
Herald and a Boston
Herald with this and
if this does not get to
you as it seems the
last one I wrote did
not get to you I
will write one more
and bring it y myself
and that is all I can say
now as it is dinner time
and so long to you Joe
[Page 4]
old fig has got a heavy
stock on hand now
worth about nine cts

yours
F Hopkinson