[At the time of the 1860 Census, Mary and her husband Elijah A. Driskill (also spelled Driscoll) had been married less than a year. Elijah’s occupation was listed as “day laborer’ and the couple owned no property. Elijah served as a private in Co. F, 40th Georgia Infantry.]

Geo paulding Co
Dear Sisters, February the 2nd 1863
I take My seat this Morning to write
you A few lines to let you hear from
Me once more I am tolerable well this
Morning I hope these lines will find
you both well Sisters it has been A
long time since I wrote to you or read
A letter from you I am very lonesom
these times I am living by Myself Me
and My little Daughter My Husband
is [in] the army he was sick the 23 of last
Month he was at vicksburg Miss,
he has not been in but one battle
yet or had not the last time I heard
from him he is very tierd of the war
the poor Soldiers has A hard time and
their Familys has two in the part of
the Confedaracy the Men is very near
all gone from this distrct and I
tell you grain is very scarce though
I have A plenty to do Me this
year I bought last fall just A
little at A place where ever I could
get it I paid from one dollar and 30 cts
[page 2]
to one 67 scts per bushel now it is over
two wheat is 6 dollars per bushel I
have one turn to grind yet then I
dont know whether I will ever taste
biscuit again or not I have none com
ing on I could not get any sewed last
fall it is no use to try to hire any
thing done for there is no Men to hire
not even to cut fire wood the women
that can Chop has A fire and them
that cant has to do without I know
that I would had to suffered if My
husband had not come home he was
at home 13 days A Chrismas he cut
wood and killed the hogs I had got
so I could Chop A little ,but I got
throwed off A horse last Nov 9 and
got My left arm hurt so I cant do
any thing scarcely yet My wrist was
sprained and My thumb out of
place their was two weeks that I
could not do any thing atall I made
about 40 bushell of potatoes last year
they are saving very well so far
[page 3]
potatoes is selling at 2 dollars per bush
butter one dollar per pound I have
sold several dollars worth of butter
eggs one dollar per dozen I have as
good A Cow as you ever milked I have
but 5 hogs but that is A plenty
for Me to feed pork is 40cts per
pound and evry thing is high-
shoes is 10 and 12 dollars per pair
thread from 4 to 7 dollars per bunch
there is two waggon loads of us
women going to the factory to
Morrow after thread the women
hitches up their oxen and goes
themselves for there is no other
chance I want to know if R
C. C. is gone to the army and
I want to know if you know
where Brother Amzi is if he is
living I haint heard from him
in 12 Months and I would like
to hear well I want you to
write and tell Me all the
news
[page 4]
now I must quit and fix to
go to the factory I have just
got word to start this evening
s[o] I must bake My doger and
go I must Say Something
about My baby She is Aheap
of Company to Me and can
help Me A little Whites
and Tay lors is all well I
would like to write more
but I haint time now
write soon Mary. W. Driskill
direct to Brownvill georgea
Mag T Caldwell
Martha W. Harris