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Received her letter that enclosed one from Harriet; is very glad she is now well; mentions that he will be able to come see her as soon as Capt. Locklin returns from seeing his sick family, which should be after two or three weeks; will bring the clothes that need repairing when he comes. 1 page.

Writes her faithfully every week and wonders if she receives his letters; worries that she is not well or in need because she does not write; wishes that he could provide for her and make her comfortable, but he hasn't the means; informs her that "Every thing looks gloomy" as the merchants are broke or soon will be because there is no money or business in that part of the county; is not sure when the steamer will be sold, either this term or the next. 1 page.

Received her letter of the 12th, but has no time to respond to it; informs her that Capt. Baldwin has sold the Senator and that the Reindeer is one of the nicest boats on the river; mentions that John Marshall is at Mrs. Sayre's recovering after being severely wounded.1 page.

Has been doing the work of two men but will not complain because these are war times; has been mostly ferrying troops for the last three weeks; mentions that John and Mollie [Marshall] had made the trip up with him on their way to Virginia; had had about 400 passengers on that trip, mostly women and children; feels that Mobile is one of the safest places in the Confederacy at this time; will dispose of the sugar he owns on his next trip to Mobile if he can double his money; feels sugar is a luxury and does not think it wrong to speculate in it. 1 page.

Is on his way to Selma with 450 troops; has no right to complain since he is doing well, but is "sick & tired of the life I am leading!" and knows there are better days in store for him; worries about Harriett and her "dependent situation" and wishes he could be her protector; thanks her for the warm shirts she made him.1 page.

Cannot move up the Bigbee River as it is too low; expects to move down the river to pick up corn to take to Selma; hopes to get away tomorrow and will be in Selma within four or five days; wonders if "this cruel war [will] never end"; longs to see her. 1 page.

Believes it will be several weeks before the Yankees make an attack by land in Mississippi; had business in Selma and wanted to settle it, especially since they were putting everyone in trenches in Mobile; worries that it looks "as if I was not willing to do what I could towards defending the old town, so... I must return to strife and excitement"; assures her that if his services are not needed he will come to see her soon. 2 pages.

Arrived in Selma the day before and will leave that evening on the steamer Cherokee for Montgomery; the Dixie sunk and burnt on the 24th of March but the crew and passengers are all safe; informs her of the great excitement there over the Yankee raids. 1 page.

Had attempted to make the acquaintance of Dr. Ruffin when he [CLCD] had returned to Demopolis from Greensboro, but Dr. Ruffin had not been home; is sorry to hear of the death of one of Mr. Witherspoon's children; had arrived "like a 'bomb-shell'" at Nottoway at daybreak as no one was expecting his arrival; escorted Annie and Cousin Jane to Cousin Emily H. Dupuy's home in Prince Edward to spend the winter; had met John Copeland [sic] in Richmond and was quite glad to hear his family was out of Williamsburg and in Richmond; expects to be ordered to Mobile for duty soon. 4 pages.

Writes to inform her that the Battalion of Washington Artillery, of which he is a member, has been accepted into service for the President of the Confederate States for the war; will leave next Thursday equipped with six six-pound guns and two twelve-pound howitzers, along with ammunition. 2 pages.