[letterhead]U. S. Christian Commission Rooms Cairo, Ill., March 15th 1865 My Dearest Elizabeth this morning finds me in this place after quite a tiersome travel I had to walk nearly all the way to Ashley & day befour yesterday evening I had a lite chill & fevor & and at Ashly found my self quite unwell indeed we left Ashly yesterday at 2 P.M. & on the cars I had another chill litle harder & more fevor and last night I was very sick all night Perhaps tho I took it harder on account of not being sick so long this morning I eat some brakefast & I feal some better tho I have a very trublesum cold and I am very unwell whether I will have a chill this eavning I am unable to tell I hope not at least. I wish this may find you well & cherfull = I could not write at Ashly on account of time & money at his place we found frends we got our boys out at Mt Vernon by bailing then at 1000 dollars Bail I was not in the bond some of us were for nocking down the jail but but a diferent corse was taken and perhaps it was best al went off nice & quiet I do not know at what time we will leave here tho some time this eavning I had to pay 2 dollars & 5 cents to come from Ashley to Cairo our transportation was not good I am happy of my visit home Pleased to find my family in good helth tho sory to find times so hard & to learn that my family would have to live so close to get along you must live in hopes of seeing better times yet and put your trust in God I got to town at sunup the morning I left I brased my self & stood the storm of leaving my family well til after I get past Uncle Enochs then I could not restrain from crying to save my life and I think it helpt me two for afterwards I felt beter there is lots of recruits at the soldiers rest with a gard after them. My regt was still at Helena last friday I hope Lizzie that you may be pleasing and happy here is a druncan soldier come in to ask for favors but his is not noticed Oh whiskey has ruind a many a man well Lizzie take care of your self and remember me to be yours truly without fail M A Hooker Patrick J. Anderson http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=patanderson 9654 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20723