Ransom (?) has driven the Yankees from Weldon (?); is becoming increasingly impatient for the end of the war; they have heard gunfire nearby; the war effort is not going well; refers to a gunboat battle on the James River; recounts again how many of their friends were killed in the Battle of Gettysburg; hopes for an exchange for those soldiers who were taken prisoner; believes the South must once again renew their faith in God if the war is to be won; refers to the upcoming "fast day" and hopes it will be faithfully observed; is quite worried about her husband and "the chills" which he has been experiencing; mentions frequently the number of friends who are coming down with dysentery, diptheria, and typhoid fever; gives a detailed account of recent deaths; recent church news is given; the schooling of the local children has once again commenced; gives a detailed account of the progress in their crops of wheat, corn, tobacco, and oats; there is a shortage in their stock of sheep as well, due to the stealing of the sheep by runaway negroes; often mentions their daughter Minnie H. Watkins; is considering visiting family in Prince Edward County, Virginia; refers to the necessity of weaving their own cloth; mentions the increasing number of robberies in the area including the illegal entry into their own home; is delighted to learn that furloughs are again being issued.