dear sir

i though i would answer your leter after so long a time i should of written to you before this time but i thought I would wate till you got to your regiment but I have now news of importance to write you wee have had a very peasant winter so fare and the health of the County is tolerably good thoug there has been several death through the County there is more mony in this County than I ever saw before evry thing is high Corn has got to fifty cents wheat one dollar and ten cents per bushel wee had quite a stir in town a few weeks ago the soldiers run in in on the rockport democrat ofice and destroyed a part of it the buternuts made a great fuss about it but i think it will all dry up the butternuts are i think Coming to there senses right fast in this state I started to see Lycurgus [i.e., Lt. Lycurgus C. Mason, Co. F, 58th Indiana Infantry, author's son] but i got no farther than nashville I could not get through the lines but i heard

direct from him i saw a man from the same regiment that had seen him the day before he was well he was reported wounded but he never quit the field his wound was very light he had all his things Captured in the fight the rebels got one of the 58 teams and that hapened to bee the one that his things was in but wee have sent him more Clothing since will [i.e., William T. Mason, author's son, formerly Lt., Co. E, 25th Indiana Infantry] has got his discarge and gone to cincinati [sp. Cincinnati] to lay in a store of drugs and grocesry I concuded to set him up in the business till he got able to work i think he can make a living at that buisness as there is not much competion there and i think doctor Morgan not very popular at this time I blieve that all your relations are well at this time as far as i now wee are going up to your house in a few days to see your family martha [i.e., Martha A. Mason, author's wife] has just got so she can go about again i think she will now get well nothing more at present write when you have time i would bee glad to hear from you often

yours truly
C J Mason

Gorge Thomas