About 3 weeks ago I had the very great satisfaction of receiving your favor of the 9^th of March and I owe my grateful acknowledgments to the giver of all good for the health & comfort which you and the rest of my relations enjoy.

I had heard of Sister Mary’s death by a former letter but not of Uncle Johns and heartily sympathize with you in the satisfaction you express in having been so eminently instrumental in administering to their support and comfort when the weight of old age and poverty lay heavy upon them.

When I wrote you last I was a boarder in the house that I formerly owned where I continued till about 20 months ago, when as Samuel had taken a house in a pleasant situation on the waters of the Straits, I agreed to live with him and am so well pleased with the agreeable disposition of the wife and neighbors that I am likely to still to continue here, and altho I am 77 years of age I do not remember ever to have spent 20 months together with fewer complaints.

After war was declared Samuel, who is always pleased with new things, turned his attention to military tactics in which he soon distinguished himself and in July last when the Regulars who garrisoned Fort Hampton were ordered to march to Canada a Garrison was furnished from the drafted Militia. Samuel entered the service as a volunteer as a 3^rd Lieutenant of Artillery and in the course of 6 months rose to the rank of 1^st Lieutenant. And when a second draft was made he thought fit to continue in the Fort until they were relieved by the regulars which happened about 3 weeks since. (Fort Hampton is 6 miles from our house)

I am glad to hear that you are not much oppressed by the calamities of war and that the industrious can find employment and live comfortably, and I am happy that I have it in my power to make the same remark with regard to people here. I do not know a single article of provision that is higher than usual, except sugar, which has been as high as $25.00 per hundredweight.

The inland navigation between our Inlet and Virginia has been very profitable to those who own small Vessels as great quantities of goods are brought in here in neutral vessels & in prizes and transported thro` the sound to Virginia and I believe there are one time with another since the war five times the number of large vessels in this port that I have ever known to be here in time of peace; but notwithstanding all the profit that can be made I abominate the very name of war and should prefer peace tho` attended with laborious poverty accompanied with virtue and humanity.

Finding that I am near the bottom of my paper I must quit other matters or neglect the obligations of friendship. Altho` my eye sight is no worse than it has been for years least yet writing is a troublesome business to one of my age. I must therefore be excused from writing more than one letter to my friends at Hempstead. Therefore I request of you to give my best respects to each and every of them and I beseech God Almighty to bless you all both here and hereafter... I remain your ever affectionate brother.