Dear Minerva

     If my recollections of home depended upon promptings I had to receive from letters, I should have long since forgoten there was such a place For I have had but a single letter from home since I left there. I have generally supposed it to be the fault of the mails It may be that you doant get mine. If you should get this I will say to you that I have writen quite often once & twice a week. I was at Memphis on Monday and Saw Mrs Veatch. She told me She had brought a letter for me and mailed it but it has not reached me
     I made a remitance to you of $225.00 by Col Jones Let me know whether it came safe or not
     There is but little to Excite in our camp at present We are in a camp we have ocupied for three weeks Ours is the only Reg^t immediately at this point But there are troops stationed Every few miles along the Rail Road, as guards

     The great point of interest in the army is now at Vicksburgh [sp. Vicksburg] That there will be a terible battle there at no distant day I have no doubt. I do hope Gen Grant may be successful in reducing the place The taking of Vicksburgh would be a very damaging blow to the Rebellion But upon the other hand a repulse would weaken the Government I regard the greatest danger as coming from the loyal states The army can meet and fight an open Enemy in front with a certainty of ultimately conquering But to have to meet an open Enimy in front and be fired upon by a masked on in the rear as a matter of course lessens the chance. But I hope yet to see those domestic Traitors put down. For I see the army is begining to speak out in tones of condemnation of the course taken in the Legislatures of Illinois and our own state who are laboring to make it appear that the rebels are a very inocent Set of men and that the great fault of this national curse and calamity rest with the Goverment to whome they themselves owe Allegiance. I for a time had great fears that there would be to some Extent a weakening of the army from the withdrawal

from it of some of those who felt that party Allegance was above that of Country But I now think the point of danger passed I believe the army with but few Exceptions are Loyal
     In my last letter I wrote to you that I wanted you to have some fruit trees put out as Early next Spring as the ground gets in good order Get George Sheads to put them out. I think he had better get a good hand to help him Enclosed I send you a plot I have defined the present limits of the orchard and it also shows you in what direction it is to be Extended There will be one row on the north side and five on the East. I want this Plott preserved and when the trees are put out I want the different kind of fruit trees noted (I mean the place where they stand) So that I can carry out my oridginal design when I get home of making a complete Plott of the Entire orchard. I think I gave you a catalogue of the fruit I wanted put out when I was at home. It will take about 86 trees I want some 40 to 50 of them to be Rome Beauties about five Wine Saps, Some four or five Early summer of the best varieties and about

four or five good fall apples The balance to be the best varieties of winter fruit. But if you have a list that I made out when I was at home you had better be governed by it for I had my attention more directed to it then than I can have now. Have the winter fruit put in the rows that will be the farthest from the house. Enclosed in this letter I send George some instructions about how to put them out Keep money by you to bear all the Expences and it is best always to pay for such Jobs of work as soon as it is done
     There are several officers Expecting their wives down to see them I doant know what you would think of such a trip nor can I be sure that we will be here any great length of time I think however that we will be some where in Rail Road communication with Memphis for some time. If you can leave home and can get suitable company I would be glad you would come If you could come when Col Jones comes it would be an Excellent opetunity Let me hear from you immediately about Rec^t of this. My health is getting prety good

Your affectionate Husband
George Thomas