Aug the 17 1861

Dear Rhoda I rec[?]your
Letter a few hours after I had finished the
one previous to this and was glad to here of
sister Lizers arrival safe we are all in very good
health with the exspsion of they are
making there appearance in our company [???]
Sharrill and mikals has got them [?????]
Doing verry well henry is over the werst if
he takes care there has bin a real th of
them in the Beattyes ford copa Neell Wingate
is laying very low with fever now with the
execpton of that our friends are well I recieved
a letter from G W gabriel on yesterday [1]
[?????] very thankfully [?????????????????]
[??????????????] since I left [?????????????]
about your fine melons there has bin a good
deal of your fine melons as we have no such a thing
here Rosenyears are geting so they will do to eat
but cant get them at any price milk is worth
40 cts a gallon we have aplenty of fat beef an
rice and coffee three times a day and best of
Flour but what sort of cooks we are at
best you may amagine [????????????]
frequently talked of although [?????????]
this time very well at least t[??] seams
[???????????????????????????????????????]
[page 2]
Rhoda mu[s]t tell you how many
solders there is here or the Jeneral comirsary
say he [??]ishing ration fro one hundred thousand
solders they are scattered in ten miles of manassas
junction we are one mile and a half from manassas
but have orders to leave here next tuesday to go
near Fairfax court house we will be there an
[???????????? it is twelve miles from here
Rhoda [????] when was I coming home I cant
say thare is no such a thing as to get a furlow now
although I have never tried Rhoda I want you
to make me a mixt suit of cloths as thick
as it can be made all wool lined you and
all the ladies must knit all the sox you
can for thes solders at least for our company we want
pare [???] winter there will be some person
[????] none of our company [???????]
come though I think some of them can
come nearer this winter also tell Bob Smith
to see Gile Beatty and get him to have me and
Tile a water proof pair of Boots a piece I want
them larg and I want the uppers double and
the soles thick as they can possably be also want
them sowed pleas have this attended to ef we
[???????] [???] a chance to come and get
they would be the[?] ready ef not
would to us when we ccome home ef we ar
[??????????????????????????????????????]
[page 3]
Rhoda tell sally Ekard henry
Sherrill has the measels but come
off very light ef he takes care he is doing
that I am with him very hour he say he
will write to her in day or to he say
he has not recieved a letter from them
since he left raleigh tell [???] Wils
Jo and charls Beatty that [???????????[]
all well F Turbyfield an[????] is
now getting over the masels [????] Wingate
will have to get better in a day [???] Rhoda
I have nothing I must conclude tell
mother we sleep very well on our hard
beds tell her we have eighteen men g[???]
us all the time and if one of them goes to
sleep on post he is tried for his life
[????] [??] from th[????]
sleep very safe tell Lizie I will
write to her and J. W. gabrield I must
comclude give the children three
kisses for me your husband D,N, McCork[?]

Rhoda write often