Camp Foster Poolesville
October 18th, 1861

Dear Father and Mother
I write these few lines to you hoping to find you in good health as this leaves me in at present, thank God.

Dear Father I have received ?? papers from you but have not received any letter. I wish you would continue to send me papers for it seems lonesome when I dont have something to read.

Dear parents I have sent 15 dollars home by George Works who left here last monday. he said he would drop it in the post office. if you have got it I wish you would write and let me no.

there has been four of our men died since we came out here but any of them dont belong to our company. they are making great preparations to cross the river in to virginia. the weather is getting cold out here.

there is a priest out here. we had mass at the General headquarters last week. the General is a catholic himself. I have sent a newspaper along with this.

we expect Daniel Bacon from Oxford here tomorrow. he is going to bring a lot of stuff with him. he is going to bring it for anybody that wants to send it.

I have written to Fort McHenry and got no answer yet. I would have written sooner only for that I have seen Shirley since I have been out here. he is in the 19 regiment but he has changed his name. I suppose you no him. I worked for him up in Stone's shop.

Mother, when Daniel Bacon goes home I am going to get my picture taken and send it home by him to you. I want you to buy something for yourself and Hanah and the rest of the children.

I hope that I will get a letter soon. give my respects to all the folks in Oxford and let me no how they all are when you write. no more at present from your son John Toomey
Direct as before.