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Brunswick County Va Decr 30th 1861

Dear Mort

                                           ing

I once more embrace this opportunity of answer your letter of [the D 5?] juts to let you know that we are all well at presant and hoping this letter may find you

           same

enjoying the ^ good blessing I was taken with a flying out about 10 days after I got home from the mountains. Something like measles and was very sick several days but it could not have been the Measles for non of the family have taken it from me – I was very sorry to here that you all was ordered to Strasburg or in the vicinity I was inhops you would be ordered to Richmond but I suppose you must go where you servises is most needed

I see it advertised in the new papers that all the Professor beloning to the Lexington Institute have been ordered to go home the 1st January and take charge of the school at Lexington and with them Col Gilhams name

                                    will

I am inhops when he leaves you all you not be forced to march so fair

Times are very dul in this part of the country the high price of salt and other necessaries of life have created a great deal of dissatisfaction with some people I had to pay about five dollars per Bushel and I understand it is still higher then when I bought but no quit so high now as have been every thing that the famers have to buy Is very high and evey thing they have to sell is very low except Pork is worth $12 per pound wheat about $1.25 corn $2.50 per Bbbs – I have been to 2 or 3 negro hires and I think they hireing very high for the times. Nego men from 75 to 80 dollars negro woman from 40 to 50 dollars I have hired Mrs Owen Margreat again for $25

[Pg2]

Christmas is now over and we have had beautiful weather and the young folk have been frolicing in the neighbourhood Larken & Henreitta are now off on a frolicing expedition I recon will come home to day.

the war feaver seams to be wareing off those vampant yankee killers when the war first brook out there [wire?] edge have wore off and are now quit content at home and some of them are trimling in there Boots for fear that the war will not end before the presant volunteers

                                                 be

terms of servises will be out and the Mililia will called out. the neighbours are all well so fair as I know Capt [Dumes?] Children are at our House & says these folks are all well & all of our Relation are well

I want you to write as offen as you can and give me the points take care of yourself as well as you can

I expect to send this letter by Lew Weaver and would

  him

send you things by but he says he cannot carry any Boxes with him. James Birdsong says he will take all the Boxes on to the company in a few days

                 things

and I will send your & Robert Kings Boots and som other things for som of the boys which you can hand to them it is getting late & I have got to go to Lew Weaver this evening so I must close by saying I Remin your truly until death

Wm M Rawlings J W Rawlings