"Happy New Year" Walt, to you, is the wish and greeting of your Mother and brothers and sister in Brooklyn, and Hattie too says to send Happy new Year for her too to Uncle Walt. I received the letter that you wrote me in due time and yesterday Mother received one from you  I wrote to you two letters and directed [them] to the "Delevan House, cor. of Pennsylvania and West Ninth Streets.["] Dear Walt, what hours of trouble you must of past till you found George  Mother and Mat each had a "good cry" yesterday in reading of how you had to get along, and I myself could hardly keep the water from my face  If you had only been coming home they say, and lost your money, twould have been no matter  but to loose it when you did not know how much you might need it on Georges account, must have made you felt miserable indeed. And then the damnable conduct of those "big bugs" (I believe the biggest bugs are ["]tumble turds") that you speak about must have made you feel doubly provoked. But the most trying scene of all must have been your sight in front of the Hospital tent, not knowing how severely George was wounded. I should think that it would almost have been too much for you. But thank God, it has all come out right, and George was not much hurt.

I have written George, somewhat urging him to quit the army. I think that it is the duty of all of us to urge this upon him, I honestly think that he has done enough and run risk enough for any one man. And too there is no judgement used in putting the old regiments in battle, they just keep throwing them in as long as there is a man left. If I belonged to one I am sure that it would look to me just as if they were bound to kill every man as long as the number of the Reg. was represented Walt do see and talk this matter over with him  Speak with him of Mother, who is getting old very old, and if anything should happen [to] him I am quite sure she could not survive it  Even now I can see the effect of the weeks worry that she has already had.  Certainly no one could find any fault with him, or talk of him other than the bravest of the brave if he should resign to-morrow. And another thing I certanly do not see how this immense risk and sacrifice of life is doing any good at all, it looks very much to me as if we were slowly but surely drifting towards mediation or something worse. Walt, I beg of you, do not neglect to see George and put this thing in its strongest light. Just think for a moment of the number of suckers that are gaining all the real benefits of the war (if that is not wicked to say) and think of George and thousands of others running all the risk while they are drawing all the pay. Think of Dick Butt and the thousand [other?] sneaks that we know. If he wont resign see if there is no possible way in which he can be removed for a while at least from his present place to one of less danger. Dear Walt I honestly think that he is carrying the life of our Mother, dear dear Mother with his own, and therefore I say tis our duty to urge him to resign and his duty to do it. Again and again let me say that if possible accomplish it

Friday 2nd. I intended to mail this to you yesterday but not having a stamp and not being able to get one could'nt do it. I have just taken dinner with Mat, Mother and Sis. on "Turkey." Knowing the locality you can imagine the whole performance to a niceity. I only wish that you and George had been with us, then the thing would have been complete. Mother is pretty well, but shows the effects of her anxiety about George, I think, quite plainly. On New Years Eve old Mr Turner next door, died, quite suddenly I believe. The old man I saw out but a few days since  Otherwise I beleve things are about as usual.  How about you Walt, what are you trying to get to do. How about Money. If you get hard pushed let me know and I will try and raise you some. I am going along as usual, earning about half time with a "constant" prospect of doing better. Of course if you can poultice any thing so as to draw a little money out of it why do so, but dont be discouraged if you cant. I would rather see you and George come home to-gether than any amt of Green-backs. I understand that our old friend Bill Hart is on here, wounded in the battle of Fredricksburg—, quite badly, but will recover. Mother sends her dearest love also Mat, ditto the rest of us. Write me at once and let me know how you are getting along. I was much, very much interested by your letters and want it repeated. Good bye dear Brother