Dear Mother, I now take the pleasure [of] sending these few lines hoping to find you in as good a state of health as this leaves me in at present. Thank god for his mercy to us all. I wish to inform you that I got your letter on the 22 which gave me much pleasure to hear you got the money. You spoke about Johney. I cannot find out anything about him. The 19th is not here at all. Hold fast to all you got until I get back. Keep the same place for I mean to have a good [illegible] as soon as I get back. How soon we will be back we can’t tell. Tell me how young Jack is getting along, is he able to hunt [with] the two Murphys yet? Let me know how is Patrick Meagher or is he gone with the Irish Brigade or not.

About Mike Murphy, I don’t know where he is. Andrew Brown went to the hospital a long time after and he is in Chicago, now at Tom Gogan’s. He will tell you all about him and where he is on North Water Street. I have not more to say about anything.

Dear friend Mrs. Curry, I want to inform you there is pretty hard times here. We thought as soon as Corinth was taken we could go home. But I guess we will go to Northern Alabama soon. Give my best respects to Meridean and tell her I would to be there and have a glass of something good and also Mary Cowan and also Mary Shepherd. I guess they thought the doctor is a damn fool to go home without his head. Never mind I will doctor some of them one of these days.

No more at present but remain
Yours Truly,
Thomas Hays
Direct as before