ADDRESS Mr. Jasper Andrews
Co.D 85th Reg. Ind. Vol.
Danville
Care of Capt Wm. Reader Ky.

Feb. 17th 1863
Corydon
Dear Cousin
I received your
letter some time ago and
also received one from Cousin
Ethan the same day. I have
managed to answer his
and now I must answer
yours. You said in your letter
that you have written to
me twice. I do not remember
about it. Perhaps I did not
get the letter. I got a letter
from Carrie Andrews a
few days ago. I believe she
said they were all well
now but had not been.
Well, How do you like Kentucky
aint it a mean state? I be-
lieve it is almost as bad as
South Carolina. At least it cant
come up to good old Indiana.
It is no wonder the Hoosier
soldiers are discouraged at the
prospect of Indianaís seceding.
Don't you think it would be a
good plan for a regiment or
two to come home and whip
the Legislature before they
advance on the rebels? I would
be mighty well pleased if
somebody would whip the sen-
ator from our town. He is such
a mean democrat. I guess
the rebel democrats will find
it pretty hard to get Indiana
out of the union. We have got
a good governor and he has
some power if they don't get him
out of the way. I wonder if
Cousin James is as strong a demo
crat now as he was before he
went into the army. This war is
making a good many abolit-
ionists. Don't you remember what
a dispute father and your father
had with him and Cousin
John one Sunday when we
were up there? I believe you
were over at Cousin James that
day. I would love to come out
and see you all some time
again and if I live perhaps I
may. But I guess I cant
come soon. It is so lonesome
in town now as many have
gone. There is not much going on.
We had a concert New Year's
night to raise money for the
Soldiers Aid Society and we
made a good deal. It was gotten
up by the young ladies and
gentlemen of town with one or
two married ladies. We are talk
ing about having another one soon.
We have had pretty bad weather
for some time. Snow and rain
and mud. We had two pretty
big snows. The first one was eight
een or twenty inches deep but
the ground was so soft it soon
melted. The ground was frozen
the last time and we had some
sleighriding. I got two rides.
I must close my letter now it
is about supper time and I
have reached the bottom of the sheet.
Write soon.
Your Cousin
Helen Porter (Corner missing only "P" left)

(Written on top of letter sideways)
We are all tolerably well. Relia has been complaining
of her eyes for a
long time and she
cant read or sew
any hardly. Her eye
balls do not seem to
be sore but the lids.
Don't forget to write
soon and if you know
where Edward
Andrews is I
wish you would
tell me.
Helen