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Mr Jonas. Gale
ElmoreVermont

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8th Reg. Vt. Vols. Co. AAlgeersJuly 10th 1862Dear Father,

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After so long a time I wil take my pen to write a few lines in answer to your kind letter I was glad to hear fromyou and that your health is as good as you write; as to my own health I am better than I was one week ago; I have not been sick but a little unwell by times; if I can get a little stronger I can take a rebel by the heals and throw him up & lodge him in the limbs of a tree and hang him by the neck til he is dead. dead. dead. I have got over my dierea and feel well now. I went to the Sergeon twice and then I quit and doctored myself.

Since I commenced this I have heard several guns fired for a sal- ute as I suppose for the victory at Richmond; the report here is that richmond is taken and fifty thousand prisoners taken; if this is true and other stories are true I shouldent think theire would be much left of the rebels. yesterday there was a rebel recru- iting officer brought down here he was recruiting up above where our Co. is stationed he came to 4 men and wanted them to enlist & they enlisted & then took him and bound him and took him down where our men are & they brought him here and now he is in the lock up; our men are bringing in a prisoner every little while; there is some 6 or 8 hundred rebels mob not far from where our Co. is as near as we can learn by the citizens around there.

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There isent much news to write we have had some showers here of late the weather is warmer than Vermont boys are used to. I havent heard any thing said lately about leaveing here. a part of the 7th Vt. Reg have gone up the river about 400 miles and some are in New Orleans. I dont think we shal have any fighting to do here unless we go up and clear out that mob company they dasent attack us I dont think. provisions are verry high and scarse about here. corn meal is 3 dollars per bushel and only 40 pounds at that and it isent worth over two thirds as much to eat as our northern meal.

Samantha wrote that Brother Coopers folks was feeling quite uneasy about Charles because he dident rite home oftener I dont know what the

reason is I am sure he is and has been. I havent seen him for a week or more he is up with the Co. and is wel now for any thing I know; Wesley and I are hav- ing nice times here in the car toget- her: he is geting better: we think of going over the river and go up to where the battery boys are about 4 miles from here to see James Homes and some other boys that we know. I think we shal go to day if we can get a pass. how is Alpheus Parker now is he getting any better or growing worse give my love and wel wishes to him. I must draw my letter to close excuse this short letter for I dont have much to write this time. give my love to them all and nei- ghbors two and except the same your self. please write as soon as you get this. this is from your unworthy son and friend

tel Charley to write often and a good long ones too

J. F. Gale

(Jonas Gale)