Transcription: Dec 20 1862 Dear Park Yours of Nov. 30th received Today. I am only at home yesterday. If it is as you say I am rejoiced to find you can exist without morphine; if so, and can keep from it, you can do well. But Park I fear for you. I here send you $5 - your letter I have passed to Herr. Sam A. Smith, his wife and Mrs Henegan. In a few days they will write you and send you freinds of clashing [illegible]. When you left I strained the last nerve to aid you - for I am as you know ruined by men who claimed to be my freinds, and today am destitute. As your self the remnents of land or [farm?] are not available no one here will invest in land. Even the price I sold for frends for you was for a nominal [sume?] I am forced to believe that you and your wife are at some misunderstanding. Romney is [working?] [our?] [land?], and as you have most certainly addressed her if not as I surmise, she would have address you, and unless you squandered your property and land [illegible] [illegible] as in [illegible] were not ready sale, after Tennessee men robed you - She must have much - even your [plate?] about your house moved [course?] and now at a special value a good [sum?]. If Park I was at one time, would not [now?] hesitate now, as I did not then, to lavish money [Armstrong] + yourself, but now I am not able to do so. Am henceforth forced to seek employment, until the war ends, to sus- tain myself. I am physically unable, as you know, for since my sojourn as Gov Agent on the plains before Kansas + Nebraska were organized, have been seriously affected with rheumatisms. If the war even ends, I can, and as your case is somewhat similar you can do the same, realize even from our [lease?] land to live comfortably. Here now, the Lincolnites have all fled, and by far not one half, no not one fifth of the land will be cultivated. Starvaten[sic] stares us in the face now, and prospectively it is bound to come, a year hence if this war continues. [Lover?] demands $2 [crossout illegible] per bushel. The Gov. Hospital at this point is destitute-and are forced to impress- This part of East Town is ruined. I cannot see any- thing to give the most dim encouragement to us here. Sam wrote his brother but M. Whit Smith of Florida to see to you and pass you to Romney, and also telegraphed him [saw?] by Florida paper he had arrived home about that time and since that he had gone back to Richmond. He is there now I suppose if so and [saw?] letter and telegraph has not escaped how you have seen. Anyway a few days will tell. He will be in Richmond but not before Christmas or new year. I could write you more, but the mail [closer?], if it has not and I can say no more or do no better being in great haste if destitute of material. Yours Truly Franck Your letters are not full, and not enough in detail-What are your expenses. Who are your friends. I never had reason to doubt your statements when yourself [underscored], but you know when otherwise no one can place confidence in any statements.