Louisville Feby 24, 1862
My dear [Bro?] Hawley
                                The letter requesting Mrs
Ladd to acknowledge your last boxes,  in a
letter to you, was found in the bottom of a
box some days after it was opened.  As it is
Ladd is at home now, unwell, I send this
to you.  The boxes, & the sack last sent were
all received safely & in good orders& are being
used, I trust with great benefit to the soldiers,
Goods of of similar kind, are now coming in
from difft-quarters in large supplies, I
think I ought to say we have no need of any
more clothing of any kind,-not ^evenbed clothing-or
pillows, [Canned?] fruit, & Jellies are plenty at an
present, They may yet need more of some things,
but the hospital [fund?] is now accumulated so
that it can be applied to obtain many things
here.  There is ^no suffering for the want of things now,
in Hospital no 3. & I think not in any other
hospital. I shall  know more about the
other hospitals in a few days,  & ^will write to you
if I think it proper.
  Health is improving,--not as many deaths
as some time since—Not as many coming
in now from the camps south,- They have gone    
farther south.  The field for my labours is no less im-
portant & interesting. –but more & more so, as I become
acquainted & as the sick gather confidence in me & send

for me to see ^them.  Yesterday I collected as many ^{convalescents} together as I
could in one ward, & opened a Bible class.  We all read &
I ask a few questions, & then made some application & closed
with prayer.  In another ward I briefly expounded the first
Psalms.  I close with prayer. I frequently pray at their bed sides
by the request.  One poor fellow, [being?] [low?] some deranged
has his wife, his mother & her mother, comin to see him to
day, all, I fear without any support from religion. Last
night I laboured with him (the Soldier) & his wife, His wife [seemed?]
more disposed to repent than her husband—Exciting scenes
come before me every day. Pray for me that I may be faithful.
 A regiment came [thro?] here to day from W. Virginia, going
on west ~150 left here sick.
   I hope Mrs Ladd will be well enough to come
back, but I fear.~     I have been unwell some
but feel well to day.   I will send this notice, I
put into the L. Journal of the receipt of yr boxes. 
  Express the warmest thanks to yr Society from the
  friends here~ the ^sick soldiers especially,
             Love to your dear family & others
                                                   Jos.. M. Ladd 

P.S. When about finishing this, I want into our re-
cieving room & found another box, & a bag from yr
Society.  Some things seem to have ^been sent [?] from Martha
Sollers. The bread & chickens were exactly suited to our
wants, & so the other things,  more thanks, if possible 

       Two loads of sick come in to night