Dear Father I am not busy just now so I will try and write a little for your edifycation I am well and I hope you are enjoying the same blessing for it is a great one I never saw the nessty nesessity of haveing good health untill I came to war if a man gets sick there is no one to look after him nor no one to simpathise with him his thoughts turn towards home when he gets down and a man has got to have a strong mind if he keeps cheerful all of the time if it was not that would soon die for if he gives away to his feelings he will soon run down so there is nothing left to content with the disease that is to work in his system There is nothing very exciteing to day not so much as there was a few days a go we do not hear any thing from the rebs yes we do to but whether it is creditable

is more then I can tell the report last night was that Maj Hays with 4 companys of our Regt was all taken prisoners whether it is so or not is more than I can tell but I rather think it is not so although there is quite a force of them in the state but I think they will have all they have asked for They are building a fort here and are pressing in all of the Negros they can find I say bully for them dont you they have got 400 of them at work which helps us out of it considerable We have not got any prisoners here now they have all gone to Louisville when they were here we had to keep a strict watch for one night they dug out through the wall into within one thickness of brick and we caught them at it Well now about my money I do not know as I shall send any home or not I bought me a pair of boots and they cost

H E Randall