Wolcott Wayne Co NY
		May 31  1863

	Dear Brother & Sister & the
        rest of the relatives    I have been
thinking of writing for a long time
to you but have failed of getting at
it yet I write a good many letters
We are all as well as usual at present but
Caroline has been rather more unwell than
usual this spring as shes been lame in her
shoulder but is some better now  I & and my wife
are alone now except Josepha is at home
nights is teaching our school Orson &
Rhoda are to Hudson to work he is
building a house has got his cellar
walls done & has comensed on his frame
& will soon have a shanty to live in close
by his grandfather   John Drewry has
sold his place in Indiana & moved back
						ht
& is now living with father Jones & has boug^
the Pierce place south there gave 50 dol
ars [illegible in original] 5 dollars more than it was worth

Booths folks are as well as usual she
had a letter a few days ago that her
sister Gurly was dead perhaps she
has written you ere this  it has been
warm & dry for 2 weeks past to day we
have had some heavy showers & one
shower of hail that whitened the ground
& as big as walnuts but it was still
so that it fell strait down & it did not
do much damage here but it was heavier
						  gh
north of us I think most of folks have got throu^
planting & some corn up.  I let out my
corn ground sowed 9 acres of spring
grain  Gilbert is at Mursfresboro
Tenn is well & with his regt is now
Orderly Sergt with a chance for get
ing a Lieutenant Commision next
his arm was weak & he could not use
it much when he last wrote about it
I have not any doubt but what Sidny
was killed instantly June 21 last
some 8 or 16 that went from this Town
have been killed or died of disease one
of the [Bartons?] John died at Washington

Irvin Derby boy & Shernon were
both wounded & died at New Orlean
some have been discharged Milton
Derby has been discharged at Philedel
phia he hired out in a Machine shop
there for 13 to 15 dollars a week since
he must have been quite an invalid
soldier  Judson Dowd was with
 				  ond
Stoneman cavalry raid to Richm^				   
got back [illegible in original] the Rappihanoe & he
stoped to a farm house to get some
supper all alone after eating he 
went on a piece & was met by some
bush whackers & taken prisoner
they kept him one day & then they let 
him go without paroling him but
took his horse he lay down on the
ground & slept till morning & then
went back to the farm house & got his
breakfast & [illegible in original] most of the day &
then went on to this regt  he wrot he had
got another horse he is a venturesome
fellow yet dareing he sent home 
100 dollars since as he was paid off

immediately after for 4 months
Stephen Chopin is at Portsmouth
or Norfolk Virginia he has not been
sick a day since he enlisted he
he writes he has sent me 40 dollars
he lets Reuben have his money Reu
ben has been quite unwell this spring
[Daniels?] youngest boy Watson is
in the 112th Ill in Henry
Griffins Co  Griffin is Lieut
they are in Kentucky have been
through the winter at Lexington
through the winter but South of ther
when I heard from them last.
June 1
I want you should write how
Jefferson gets along & where he
is  Chancy is going to the office 
I must close & send this Chancy
is not very well this spring Mary
[yours?]
has gone to Washington to live with
the soldiers a spell Pleas write 
immediately
		Stephen Dowd