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Dear brother Walt,

The enclosed $25 is from my old friend Joseph P. Davis who is Engineering down in Peru. Although he is far away yet he does not forget home. I have written him in some of my letters what you were doing, with short extracts from your letters.

Well Walt it looks as if we had met rather a bad reverse in the West. If Rosecrans is whipped I should hardly think that the United States was large enough to contain the infernal quacks that administer the military arm of our government. I suppose their is at least 30 000 men nibbling around in Kansas and other parts west. Matters that would tumble of their own weight if the army in front of Rosecrans was thouroughly whipped. Tis awful to think of. I mailed you a letter from George a few days since, did you get it.

Mother is abt the same as usual. I think she fails somewhat. I suppose not more than we must expect however. Mattie and the babies are quite well. Hattie is getting to be quite a girl, and the little one is also getting to be quite a youngster. Jess is abt the same, he is not well. He needs good living more than anything I think. Andrew I suppose Mother wrote you about  I think that it is unfortunate that he should be so humbuged by the "Italian Dr." but I suppose he would not otherwise have tried to get well at all  The Dr. requirs him to pay $180 in 3 installments in advance. He has paid $46 and is now living his 15 days at the "Foriegn Dr's" as a prepairing course, then he is to take certain baths. The whole thing in my opinion is one of the biggest of humbugs. However if Andrew believs in it I suppose it is best to bolster him up in his beliefs.

I shall write you again [in] a few days sending you some more money. till then good bye

affectionately yours Thomas J. Whitman