Home   January 3rd, 1863
My dear brother
                        This gloomy Saturday
morning I again write you a few
lines, not expecting though that it
will ever reach you.   we have got
so out of heart about you not
getting our letters we dont know
what to do. Father started after you
or to see you at least, last Monday
week ago (22nd Dec)  he and uncle Robert
was going together  they only went to
Mattoon Illinois   there they met sever
al men who had just been to
Cairo and could not get any further
so they thought it usless to go on
and turned around and came
back home.  Father says he intends
to go after you as soon as you he
can pass down the river if they
would ever let him pass down      
                                      now          

it would be dangerous for him
to go the rebbels are so plenty along
the river, there is danger of the boat
being sunk.   Ben we want you to
write to us if you are able imme-
diately for we are very uneasy abut
you  the last letter we received
from you was written the sixth of
last month   you wrote then you
was very poorly and was going to
the Hospittal as soon as you could 
we are very uneasy about you  we
don’t know but what you are
dead.   Where was you during the
fight at Holley springs.  Ellet Ross
was there too and they have not heard
from him since  Dave Horten
was there and they had not heard
from him since the fight the
other day.
 Henry Barnette was out here
Christmas day  he was well he got…..

 [rest of letter missing]