My dear brother it seems as if we are cut off from one another all together have had no letter from you since august and that was written in June & July I have written once or twice but dont know whether you would get them or not we received a letter a week or two ago from carrie, I will now write again and I hope you may get it soon have Sad sad news to communicate I told you in my last of father being as well as usual but alas alas I now have to tell you he is no longer with us his chair is vacant his staff is setting where he left it we miss his pleasant face, O we miss his wise counsels and good advice, he has joined as we humbly trust & believe our sainted mother and that blessed throng on high where sorrows no more can come "where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest" he died friday the 23 rd a little after 12 o.Clock on Sunday he went to church a cloudy dreary day on Monday morning he went to W m Guthrie's came home went to the barn and husked corn awhile came in and laid down on the lounge said he felt like he was taking cold but was going about laying down sometimes on the lounge went out morning & evening to feed his pigs went and fed his pigs thursday night took a dose of calomel about bed time said he did not think he was bilious much but a dose of calomel always relieves him his cough seemed to be tight as it always is when he has taken cold he took a dose of oil friday morning read a chapter with Lillie in the bible walked into the parlor and came in and set on the foot of the lounge about 12oclock asked what the boys were doing laid down on the loungle Lillie put the cover on him directly almost I heard him more as I thought went to him found something the matter called Mary she was up stairs she came as quick as possible but he was gone we applied mustard to his wrists & ankle rubed his breast with spirits, hurried some on for the doctor but nothing could be done his pulse beat awhile after we all got to him but he was gone and distressing is the thought to think that he went off almost without my knowing it and I was setting beside him, but it is a consolation to know that our loss is his eternal gain, we buried on yesterday had preaching at the church had the coffin carried into the church had Richardson preaches Anne See being away at the army his text was 1st Corrinthians 4 th chapt 2 nd Verse the roads were very icy but there was a pretty good congregation My dear brother we would like to see you and your little family in Va but it is hardly worth while to ask you to come now in these troublesome times when there is so much dificulty in travelling and I dont see how you could come as they are taking every one now nearly in the army perhaps you are now in, This is really a gloomy time now for our confederacy the last news we had the yankees had captured the salt works and if so will destroy them I suppose as much as possible but cant help them long I dont think and Savannah was evacuated it is really dark and gloomy but I still have hope that we will eventually come out Victorious and free, when this war does close I hope we will all be spared and meet again. I suppose we will continue on as we are not make any change I dont expect while the war lasts I think I told you when out that father has made a will it has not been altered that I know of the Bank stock is intended for you we will try and manage it for you until we meet Give our Love to Gambles folks and all enquiring friends [onto top of first page] I hardly know how to direct this so that you will get it soon I told Mrs See yesterday to write to Mr See and tell him to write an obituary and put it in the Central and request the southern Presbyterian to copy and perhaps you would get one of the papers before you would get letter