Camp Thomas, July 31, 1863

We put up our camp the 18th of July between Deckard and Winchester, and we are still here.

There are many settler stores here where everything can be bought at an unreasonable price, but as long as the soldiers have money there is no worry about the price. A common five cent plug of tobacco is twenty-five cents, cigars from five to ten cents, butter fifty to seventy-five cents a pound, onions two for twenty-five cents or eight dollars a bushel.

If I live until I get my freedom then possibly I will go to Norway, if the money will allow it.

Up to this time I have received from the pay-master twenty-one months’ pay which is two hundred seventy-three dollars of which I have used two hundred twenty-seven dollars to pay old debts.

For this second year I have taken out clothes for twenty-one dollars and have a credit for clothes not taken out for twenty-one dollars that will be paid when leaving.

Many have already taken out clothes for sixty dollars for this second year. What was over the forty-two dollars allowed for the year for clothes was taken off last pay day.