Camp Floyd, U.T.

Sept. 30th 1858

My dear Sister,

Yours of the 21st of Aug. with its enclosures has just reached me. It arrived by the mail last Sunday and somehow or other got into the 5th Infantry Camp, where it has been until today I heard of it—the stupid Qr. Master said he did not know we had arrived yet. Our mail closes tonight to go to Salt Lake City, where the mail for the States leaves the next day. I do not know whether I will be able to get this in tomorrow morning or not, but will try. Your account is perfectly satisfactory: you only want one of our Regt. Forces to be a perfect accountant.

I have asked you in one of my letters, the one from here I think, to get my tailor’s bill from N.Y. and pay it if you have any money of mine left. “Richardson, Spencer, & Thomson,” No. 156 Broadway, [near Bube’s?] Hat Store. This is the only debt I have in the east & would like it settled while it is small, for fear I shall have to [swell?] it up considerably whenever I get east. This is a very hard place on clothes. Dust! Dust! Nothing but dust! of the finest kind, in the dry country. Please attend to this, and just [do?] as you have done already. The interest of all my moneys between you and Hal. I am glad the California bonds have been received safely, tho’ I don’t know who they belong to; you ought to receive some money from N. Orleans before long on my acc. as I have directed it to be sent. What you rec’d from Lt. Taylor was I suppose from the sale of some of my furniture left behind, & my baggage was also left with him and I suppose you have no room in your house to store it. We are all so busy building that I have not had a moment to myself since we reached here one week ago. I have just got the men’s quarters fairly under weigh [sic], and hope the next time I write to be able tell you something about my own house. I have not got the officers Qrs. quite staked off yet. The Army is encamped in one line along a small stream, & we are building pretty much after the manner of a camp.

I am glad to hear such favorable accounts of Will’s leg, tho’ his description was entirely too professional for me.

Love to all, believe me.

Your affectionate Brother,

John F. Reynolds

Capt. & Bvt. Maj., 3rd Arty.

I have done so much of sining [sic] my name officially, lately, that I can hardly write it any other way. I told you in my other letter all you asked about Dr. [Milhan?] for Will.

To Miss Ellie Reynolds,

Phila.

I’ve opened this to say that possibly Harry might want his bill collected from Mr. “Ivins,” and as the Mormons are on their good behaviour now that the Army is here, there is a probability that he might pay it especially if prescribed by [one?] of the Army. We are 40 or 50 miles from the City but expect to visit it sometime this winter when I could give him [new?] information at any rate as to the ration of his claim on the Mormons if I know what it was.