Dear Minerva

     It has been some days since I have had an opertunity of sending a letter by private conveyance this being the only certain way of getting letters to their destination is one reason why I have not writen Another has been the want of time this may seem strang But we are now some 25 miles from where we get our supplies and we move camp quite often All of which I have to see to in person Consequently my time is exclusively occupied
     Greate Events have taken place since I wrote last After ocupying the country around Corinth for weeks and gradually making slow and cautious approaches toward it and Expecting Every day the terible Shock of battle between two powerful armies we were sudenly supprised to learn that it had been Evacuated This is to me a strange move I am not able to comprehend it Perhapse this is because I am not a military man But it does seem to me that if I had been a commanding General fortified as they were I would rather have taken my chances of successfully resisting our frces than to have Evacuated What Effect this will have apon the rebellion I cant tell But it seems to me it will be very damaging It seems to me that an Evacuation under the circumstances was about Equal to a defeat

     Enclosed you will receive a remitance of Six hundred and fifty or seven hundred dollars I doant yet Know which I send you in another package a Schedule of notes and accounts that I am owing I want you to get Mr Pill to take money Enough to pay them all off if he can attend to it I want it done as soon as you receive this On the very day if possible I have writen Mr Pullen a letter and Enclosed it in another Envelop I want you to send it to him as soon as you Rec^e this So that if he can attend to this business he can do it at once I cant tell how much there will be left But Enough I think to answer all your purposes I want you to get whatever you need for your self & family make Jane and the children some handsom present for me Let John and Fred have what they will be in need of After all this I cant tell how much there will be left If any more than you will need for your little Expences I would deposit it with Mr Allen However I wrote to Mr Pullen that if he needed any about his Harvest I thought you could let him have it If he does try to let him have it I also wrote to Mr Pullen if it was possible for him to do so I wanted him to take his force and yours and all he could hire and bothe his crop of wheat and ours If he can let him have full charge and management of the work Have all the hired help you can get So as to get throug as soon as possible

     There is a note that Mr Pullen and I owe between us for the reaping machine that is not on the Schedule But we were not to be required to pay it until we sold our wheat if I remember right He will remember how that is I believe I have now Explained all the business I want attended to so that you will understand it Remember the Schedule of notes and accounts are in another Envelop A number of these I am not certain as to the amounts in one or two instances I am not certain whether I have any account atall or not But I want Mr Pullen or who Ever does the business to see to it and where they are accounts take receipts and where they are notes take them up of cource. Then there is a small Envelop that give you full Explination about the business it brings to your notice
     If possible hire all the help you need about the house and take times Easier
     I now have to acknolledge the recept of the large and welcom donation made by your self and others for our Reg. By some mismanagment one of the boxes had got wet and a great deal that had been put up in such good order got here in a damaged condition But the box that contained the one that was for my private us had faired better The contents of the little box was in good condition although the boxes had been at Hambugh some two or three weeks befor I got trace of them

Even to the cake that was so nice when sent was still good The fruit so far as used was in fine keeping condition I have a little of it yet It was a fine treat But it was a mere chance that we got them And if I had not found them as soon as I did the party in charge of them told me they would have been distributed with other sanitary stores
     It is now late at night and I must take some rest I shall be very anxious to learn whether this goes safe or not Start a letter Every day or two for three or four days So that I may get some of them
     This will probably be brought to you by Capt Sumner [i.e., Capt. John Sumner, Co. G, 53rd Indiana Infantry] of Canelton [sp. Cannelton]

I remain your affectionate husband
George Thomas

     The amount I send you is Seven hundred ($700.00) dollars It will be brought to you by Capt Sumner of Canelton. I sent some money to Gillett and Williamson I could not make the change by $2.16 Two dollars and sixteen cents you will please pay that to them
     Let me hear from you at once if all come safe Send several letters so that I will get one certain

Your affectionate husband
George Thomas