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To Miss Leah S} Head Quarters 7th Mil Dist Taliaferro } South Carolina near

             Charleston Jan 7 1864

My Dear Daughter

                I received

only today your mothers letter of the 20th of Nov enclosing the reports of the standing of your brothers & yourself in school. I was much delighted to receive them and as you were all mark- ed perfect in writing I thought I would write you each a short letter in hopes that you would all soon reply and I would then know what a perfect mark in writing meant. I hope your mother will often enclose the reports and I trust I shall have the happiness to find the standings always as good as it was on the 20th of November. You must write me what you and your brothers are studying. I see by the report how many things & I am quite surprised and much gratified to see you so much advanced, and I wish to know what books and what parts of the books you are reading or studying how far in other words you have progressed. Dear little Fankin I suppose is quite independent of Miss Mary Mann, and does not yet trouble herself with a spelling book & I immagine that Master Geordie's education or schooling consists at pres- -ent in being taught to talk. You must keep them in mind of me for I fear they only know their father is a sort of myth. It is very cold and has been raining for more than a week. I am well horsed and have a plenty of good wood but I fear you have snow in [Gloucester?] where I have rain & that you must suffer terribly. Tell mother she must not let you suffer if it is possible even by burning the railings to avoid it.