Pine Bluff, Ark. March 15^th 1864
Sister Maggie

Your welcome letter of Feb 26^th has Just came to hands. I was glad to hear all was was well when you wrote except father I was very Sorry to hear that he was not well. I know he is getting old, and that he had worked ^very hard^; he had ^had^ a great deal of trouble to pass through in this life and ^I^ cannot but feel Sorry and tears Start involuntarily ^start^ from my eyes when I hear that he is not well. I hope he will be better when these lines reaches you. Your letter found me still in Hospital and in feeble health I do not know that I am any better than where I wrote you my last letter. I was so Sick a part of the day yesterday that I feinted. though I am feeling as well this morning, as I have for Several days. I wrote a letter to father and mother on Friday last the 11^th of the present month.

There is not much danger of my going into the Service again at the present time. but if I

Should get Stout I may posibly go into the Service again, but I would like to come home first, and see you all. if I can do so without fear, and be priviledged to go and come as I pleased. Otherwise I should not enjoy myself so well. I Should not like to endanger myself by coming home. The way Matters Stand there now it would not be very pleasant for me to come home unless I would have Liberty to go where I please. Whatever may have been my faults, I never was guilty of the charges prefered against me- and I feel myself even better than my perjured accusers. I have friends and have credit here; and have always had at any place, and where I have ever been. no man Stands higher for Honesty and integrity than I do in my company on Regiment. for this reason I Should not like to endanger myself by coming home. nothing though would give me more pleasure and Satisfaction than to come home to See mother and the rest of you. I have not made no great deal of money in the Service If my Captain had have lived I Should have made Something over three thousand dollars; as it is I have had

Some bad luck I have had Some upwards of two hundred Stolen from me Since I have been in the ^service^ I have lost three horses in all; in the Service worth about $400 — but after ^all^ this I will Save one thousand dollars out of my wages Since I have been in the Service. I have had to Spend Some money in buying butter and vetetables that we cannot draw from the commissary department. These things are all very high in the army butter is worth 75cts and and one dollar per pound Green apples have been worth twenty and twenty five dollars per Bbl and have been Since last fall, and other things as high in proportion Whisky Sells for fifty cents a drink and from eight to twenty five dollars per gallon. I have not bot any of it in no form Since our army left Helena We could ^get^ a little there from the commisary department for Sixty cents per gal= Potatoes are worth ten and twelve dollars per Bushel and none Scarcly to be had at that price. We have had a little fight at South bend bend forty mile below us on this river the Rebels captured one of our boats loaded with commisary supplies: but our forces recaptured the boat and took one

one hundred Rebel Prisoners, We had Some ten or twelve men killed, The Rebels had Sixty or seventy men killed. General Steel left Little Rock yesterday morning going South toward red River his exact Route or the intention of the movement of course I do not know. he took eight thousand troops with him. The general impression is that our forces have gone up Red River and are compelling the rebels to fall back this way, and that general Steele has gone out meet them. I am almost Sure that the ^war^ cannot last a great while Longer; yet for Reasons I have not room to explain here. I do not believe the war will end until after the Election for President next fall. I care not who is elected for President I do not believe the war will last long after the election give my love and Respects to all my Relatives

I Remain your most
affectionate Brother
John. W. Brookover