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Richmond July 18th 1864.

My dear Lizzie

    Am I not changing my character and
becoming a good correspondent? this is the second letter I have
written in the last ten days and I hope you will appre-
_ciate my epistolary efforts. I don't know what you meant
by your trouble in writing to Mr Hough. I read Brother
that part of your letter and he remarked on the consistency
of a young lady who accepted a pistol from one gentle-
man and "couldn't accept presents from gentlemen" she said
to another. But tell me all about it. I don't at all
understand what it was he sent - so cannot sympathize
with you yet. I wish you would back here and stay
with us. half of my room is quite at your service - and
you don't know how glad we shall all be to have you. and
especially myself. I do miss you so much for I haven't
any "crony" inparticular now. Do you know that  Col Lamar
who married pretty little Mrs Carter was killed at Monoca-
cy Bridge? Isn't it sad. so young and twice a widow.
Of course you have heard of the relieval [struck-through] appointment
of Hood to a full Generalcy and Johnston's Army. I
really am almost beginning to doubt the success of
our Cause. it is said that Genl Lee raised the
schedhule of prices too saying that he could not feed
his army as they were. So wheat is raised to thirty
dollars a bushel making flour $500 a barrel at govern