Dear Minerva

     I sent a letter by private conveyance a day or two ago but you may not get it so I write again this morning
     We have a very quiet camp the Reg^t having gone towards Jackson with all the able bodied men a week ago today There are about seventy convalescents in camp. It is quite lonesom and I am anxious to go to the Regt but this I cant do until I get orders It possibly may come back but I doant think now that it will. If it does not we will get orders to go forward with the camp Equipage &c that has been left.
     The authorities are about throug Paroling the prisoners taken at this place I was told yesterday that the no amounted to over 30,000. The intention of the rebel Officers is to keep them organized and take them into Parole camps so as to have them together when they are Exchanged for. But it is said that many have deserted and large numbers would have done so if it had been possible.
     We got the news last evening that Port Hudson had surrendered It is said to have came officially so that we doant doubt it We have heard none of the

particulars but it is said there were 14,000 prisoners taken This is the last permanent Ebstruction to the navigation of the Mississippi River. We will still be annoyed by gurilla parties and predatory bands who will come to the river where oppetunity offers and threaten our transports But with the successes we have had of late, I think the total strength of the Rebellion is will soon be destroyed in the Cotton states. We had quite a success on the 4th of July at Helena. The rebels made an attack upon that place and had some 400 killed and lost about 1000 to 1200 prisoners and were totally repulsed
     We have very cheering news from the East We have so often been deceived by the first news received from there after a battle that one feels like receiving it with caution But I am inhopes it is true this time. If that army is achieving what is claimed for it the power of the confederacy is about broken and we may hope soon to see its total destruction. An event most devoutly wished for
     In my last letter I indicated to you how I wanted the farm managed provided you could find renters, You may not get the letter so I will state it here again.
In the first place as you still have horses and farming implements I would rather furnish them

and get a larger portion of the crop. But I doant want any person but those upon whom you can depend. To give a team up to a careless fellow he might be the cause of more damage than the crop would be worth.
     Then I should like to have the field George is tending sown in wheat and if it suits him Iwould rather he would sow it as it is his corn. I also want the field Mr Ellis is tending put in wheat. The East side of the place is now in a good condition to raise a crop of wheat. There are over thirty acres of this and I should like to have it put in. There will be some repairing required to the string of fence running East from the little five acre field It by this time is getting quite rotten Perhapse a little repairs will be required to the fence next to the woods on the East where it crosses a branch. There were some pickets set in that were begining to rot when I left home. If you can rent out all of this side of the place including the ten acre field that lay next to the field that George had in wheat. There is a middle fence between this ten acre field and the field East of it that you can have taken out and used for repairing other fences. It may be that you cant get hands to have this work done atall but if you can this fence should be repaired whether it is sown in wheat or not
     I have now let you know how I wished you to

manage if you can But how much you can get done I cant tell. You will have to use your judgement and discretion If you cant have it done as I wish and have other offers do as you think best
     I have not had a letter from you for some time
     Remember me to all

Your affectionate Husband
George Thomas