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Danville, Kentucky, October 8th, 1864

Dear Mother

I have written to you twice since I arrived here, and have directed Martha to send you my first letter, a thing which I trust she has done. I do not hear from her very often, and have not now heard in eight days. If she obeys instructions she will be here two weeks from yesterday or to-day. A young lady is coming on from Colebrook, Ct. [Connecticut], and I have written to have Martha come with her, which I presume she will do. Edgar Hart will meet them in Cleveland, and Mr. Sloan

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or I in Cincinnati. Theodore Bird will accompany them to New York, and see them safely started from there. I think they will get through in safety and comfort.

We have had a great deal of pleasant weather since I have been here, and some of it quite warm. There is no appearance of Autumn here yet there having been nofrost, so the leaves have not turned. To-day is the coldest day we have had and there will surely be frost to-night if the wind subsides. I hope it will hold off a little

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while longer.

I continue to be pleased with the place and school. I sent you a catalogue a week or two ago, and you can from that form some idea of our building. I think one great advantage in being here is escaping from a month of six weeks of winter at each end.

This is a very strong slaveholding county [Boyle County], one of the strongest in the state – about seven slaves to every eleven white persons when the last census was taken. Now a great many of the negroes

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are in the army, and the horses and cattle have been taken for army use on both sides. Two years ago this vicinity was the scene of very active [?] by large numbers, but since that nothing but guerilla bands have been here. A band of guerillas made an attack on Harrodsburg, only ten miles from here last night and attempted to rob the bank. One of them was shot dead by some one of the citizens, and the rest vamoosed. Long trains of army wagons pass here nearly ever day,and one happens to be passing at this very

[This is the last page of the letter that has survived]