Hartford  July 19th, 1864
Dear Brother
		Yours of the 4 inst is
rec  We have good news from Shermans army
now days and every thing seems to be 
going well all around  We have just 
finished harvesting and haying and have 
got the wheat and hay all safe in the barn
Oats harvest comes next  Oats are generally
a light crop this year on acct of the drout
Its a grand time to burn and clear old
[chopings?]  Alfred is cutting brush and burning
around his swamp  I intend to burn 
and log some if I can get help one of my
oxen is lame now and I dont know but 
I shall have to buy another yoke and
[fat?] them  Father sold his stays to
day for 80 dol one half the money down
and the balance in 3 or 4 months  I think
he sold them well as they were not broke
and the bull stag is some [manly?]

Cattle are high as well as every thing else
good working oxen are from 90 to 160 dol
a yoke  Wheat $2.00 to 2.30 Corn $1.00 Labor
$2.00 to 3.00 dollars a day in harvest
Father and I have some old wheat to 
sell yet probably 50 Bus Money is very 
plenty  Wool is worth 85 cts to $1.00.  We have
not had time to sell ours yet and cotton
I dont know what it is worth but
judging from what I paid for striped
shirting the other day it must be worth
some thing  55 cts for striped shirting that
we used to buy for 10 or 15 cts  The 4 I worked
in the cornfield there was nothing going
on any where about here any more than any
day  I did not hear a gun or canon
nor have not heard of any celebrations
nearer than Detroit  I gues the folks
			    to
were all busy and forgot ^ celebrate
Freman Stow is home on furlow
Charley B Dell came home yestur
day

He says that He and several others were
taken prisoners by Morgans men and 
released on parole  We think He deserted
and cant show any papers     You must do as
you like about your gun.  The money
will probbably be of more use to you
here than the gun       The folks are all
[added in pencil]: Allen	    sick
well except Lucy ^ has been very ^ since
I wrot you last and was not expected
to live for several days   She is some
better now and they think she will get 
a long  She had the inflamation of 
the lungs and dropsy of the chest
Its getting late and I must close
	     Yours etc    H. H. D.
[added in pencil]: P.S.  [in ink]: Morning 20th  [in pencil] ‘64
Wm Lewis has returned to Hartford
I have not seen Him yet
Father expects to have money enough
to pay those mortgages to morrow
John Denton is home on furlow
is not very well

shal I clear your fallow if
I can get help at dollar or ten
	 $1.25  [written in pencil]
shillings ^ a day  if I get it filled
I can make a loging bea and get
it done up quick  I have been
howeing another [fellow?] came on my
my left thumb for a week past
I think it about cured  some sore
yet has not kept me from work
I sent you 2 papers the fore
part of the week  Father sent 2.00
in a letter last week
[written in pencil]:  H.H.D.

Mr. J.S. Dowd
Care of Capt Conklin
Comnding Gen Dodges Esco [envelope torn]
in th field      	       Geo