They have not yet received their pay and John asks his parents to send him some money as his ran out two weeks ago. If alive and well, he expects to receive his pay at the end of the month.

He believes that the climate suits him better than Wisconsin and he much prefers being on land than on the water. He is sent to the picket once every ten days and is on camp guard once every six days.

John wants to know who's running the school at home and he also asks about the situation regarding the drafting of soldiers. He has seen that those who are drafted are sent to fill the old regiments and he does not want to see any of the Welsh boys from the Salem area having to do that. He believes that it would be better for them to escape and enlist if they could.

Towards the end of his letter he says that he hopes to come home before long as it is almost four months since he started carrying arms.
They still have heard no news of Fred.