Transcript of a letter from David Fentress to his wife Clara in which he asks her to write longer letters with news of her and the children; his hopes for an end to the war in the spring; the shortage of physicians and why that makes it impossible for him to receive a furlough; the difficulty in receiving newspapers that have been subscribed to; news of the war; Abraham Lincoln's success in bringing people in west Tennessee to support the north; the difficulty in sending items home because he does not think they would get there; the sick making their way to the general hospital and a list of individuals who have died; his dislike for the people of Arkansas; the support of the people of Texas for the troops; the cost of wheat; his personal health; and his attendance at the funeral of Governor Jackson of Missouri.

Letter from David Fentress to his wife Clara in which he asks her to write longer letters with news of her and the children; his hopes for an end to the war in the spring; the shortage of physicians and why that makes it impossible for him to receive a furlough; the difficulty in receiving newspapers that have been subscribed to; news of the war; Abraham Lincoln's success in bringing people in west Tennessee to support the north; the difficulty in sending items home because he does not think they would get there; the sick making their way to the general hospital and a list of individuals who have died; his dislike for the people of Arkansas; the support of the people of Texas for the troops; the cost of wheat; his personal health; and his attendance at the funeral of Governor Jackson of Missouri.

This item is from the Charles B. Moore Collection. It is written by Julia A. Barr, Henry and Charles Moore's cousin. In the letter, Julia updates the Moore family on the happenings in Jerseyville, Illinois and the news includes: a dialogue about meeting cousin George Wilson in Eureka Springs, Arkansas while on a trip there, a discussion about the people that accompanied here on the trip and how long she stayed, details concerning the people she meet in Eureka Springs, a conversation about Seella, her two children, and Polly, a dialogue about their helper who was discharged over a year ago and how they are getting along without him, an update on the bountiful crops and how good rain has made it possible for people to get out of debt, a discussion about "Aunt" Sally Smith and Uncle Abner's family, a dialogue about Sottie Knaff's daughter, details about the Goodrich family, an aside about the town of Jerseyville, a dialogue about Mrs. O. P. Powell's children, a discussion about Wilson Cross and Ida Barr Cross, details about Fannie and her love for entertaining, updates on family, a dialogue about Barr's California trip and the places they stopped at along the …