Dear Father

     I received your letter to night and Metts and I learned by that Mrs Metts had a boy a general shure enough that will please him and I will bore him about it I am well and the rest of the boys are getting as fast as they can although I do not have a chance to see them very often I have not seen him but once since he was taken sick I do not have such a chance to run around as I did when I was out from under the millitary tactics but I have to submit to it without a whine I have more liberty since I came to this Jail then I have had since I enlisted I have a pass in my pocket that is good for five days to go anywhere in town when I am off from duty the Sergt got it for me his name is Weir [i.e., Sgt. William Weir, Co. H, 100th Ohio Infantry] from my company I expect he will be

Orderly instead of Harlan he is a first rate fellow but I would rather Bates would have it for my part I think it is a little doubtful whether he is competen to fill that office and if he is not Bates will get it not for a while he will not but before 6 months rolls around he will have the office in my opinion I am acting Corporal and as Sergt Clerk I have to do all of the writeing in the Jail office which is considerable some days for we have a report to make out every night which covers one of these large size folls cap sheets of papers put it in as well as you can I have to search the prisoners to see if they have any thing concealed about them and we have to take all of their money from them it seems rather hard to take the last cent out of a mans pocket but we have to do it take his knife

from him and all papers found on his person and read them and if they want to write a letter we have to read them if they write to their girls it is fun some times though they all say we treat them the best they have been treated since they have been taken we had some in here that was taken at Paryville [sp. Perryville] last fall they were wounded the most of them we had one Capt & Lieut one of them was from Georgia we took in one to day that belonged to the 1st Lousa Cav Howetser Battery that was taken day before yesterday I suppose you have had some little anxiety for a few days for I suppose you herd that the rebs were comeing into Ky but they have abandoned that in a measure for they are driving them towards the Cumberland river post hast about now but they are building forts to com every road that lends to this place so if they come here they will have a job

I guess the excitement about Cin [i.e., Cincinnati] is in a measure subsided for I am shure it has with me I traded watches to day with tom Hess [i.e., Pvt. Thomas Hess, Co, H, 100th Ohio Infantry] and give him 4,00 to boot I got your old watch that you let Jake Collins have I think I shall keep this I had calculated to sell but since I have got this I will keep this to remember you by and I have got this tobacco box that you let Metts have I keep them both for your sake perhaps you think I am foolish to spend my money but I will get it back again after awhile the old saying is nothing venture nothing make to be sure I have layed out considerable this pay day but I will send enough home some other time I will try and take good care of my money for I shall kneed some if I ever get home which I intend to if my life is spared and it seems as thought it would be