1862 July 25 Greensboro Ala.

               Greensboro' July 25th / 62
Genl J.H. Cocke
                   Dear Sir
                               I write you a
few lines to let you know how we
are getting on.  We are having quite
a sickly time.  The man that belong-
ed to Genl Philip Cockes Estae; that
was sick when I wrote you last died
soon after I wrote to you, since that
time we have lost Harriets daughter
(Sallie). She died with Typhoid fever
We have six (6) others sick, but none
dangerously ill.  they seem to have
pretty much the same complaint of
the others.  the people at New Hope
have had some little sickness, but none
of consequence.  We had a tolerable
rain yesterday, but not enough to do
the corn any good,  it may do the cotton
& potatoes some good. We made
a better crop of wheat this year
than Mr Powell expected; we made
(66) sixty six bushels. It was not very good,
the grain was rather small: the rye
turned out tolerable well at present.  I believe
as Lucy is going to write you a few
lines I will stop.
                   Yours Respectfully
                            S.W. Hardy
Gen J.H. Cocke

my Dear master
I Again take my seat to let you
hear from me  We are not all
very well at present I am
Sorry to inform you that we
are in the midst of Sickness
and death, but we have a right
to be thankful that we have
escaped so far --Sallie died
this morning, after an illness
of four days.  She was the woman

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that was so sick the last winter
that you was out here. I have been
quite unwell for the last
day or two but I feels much
better than I have been.
I am not geting along with my
business very well at present.
So much sickness is seting me
back.  Mr Powell saw your
message to me about  Maria liv
ing with him but as his wife
did not receive the letter
you wrote to her he said
that he would not take
her untill he can hear from
you again. Mr Bordens family is
well. I have not seen more of
Mrs Averys family very lately
The garden is looking very dry.
This dry weather has nearly
put an end to our vegatables.
I will now bring my letter to a close
hopeing soon to hear from you again I am
as ever your Servant.  Lucy Skipwith

MSS 640