[001] 
 
Woodstock March 29th 1844 
 
My dear sir, 
 
Your letter was rec'd long ago.  
for which I ought to have expressed my thoughts much  
earlier than this but the truth is I desired to  
recognize and make one letter answer both for said  
acknowledgement to you and to let the good people 
know when they might expect to see me home.  
I still call Binghamton my home, although the folk 
here claim me as a resident, make me  
do road duty  and return me to court martial for not 
attending training! They are so barbarous as not to  
consider Genl. Crain's discharge a sufficient excuse and  
ordered me to appear "armed and equipped" to do duty  
in the rank which I could by no means consent 
to do after having fought as an officer under so 
distinguished a chief. Only think of putting a  
major of the thirty second brigade of infantry of the  
state of new York one who commenced his military  
career under the distinguished Capt. Gurnsey (more  
favorably known to the world as The Pullet) and finished  
it as a staff officer of Brigadier General Herdric Crain [?] 
only think I say of putting such a man into the  
rank to "solder musket" and do duty with a lot  
of of dirty Florida Crackers and cow thieves.  
Is it not awful! 
 
[002] 
 
[left page] 
 
I have set the 10th of April as the day of my  
departure from Woodstock and shall probably be in  
New York by the 20th where I expect to be detained a  
few days If nothing extraordinary takes place 
I hope to have the happiness of seeing my  
Binghamton friends between the 25th and 30th of next month. 
I returned a short time since from town where  
I had been spending a few days as a sort of  
vacation I found many young ladies there form the  
Islands an dup country which with the usual stock on  
hand made the stupid little place quite gay.  
I passed the time very agreeably and for the first time  
left the town with something like regret. 
The rain has been pouring down all day: and such 
Thunder! There is a prospect of a fresh. I have 
been out all the morning making sure some raft of 
Timber got thoroughly soaked came in changed my clothes,  
smoked a cigar, and sat down to write you this 
letter which but for the rain you might 
not have got quite as soon. Our rice field,  
were almost ready for the seed the hands had been  
preparing the ground for three weeks past. All  
of which is lost on account of the rain. 
Everything in the garden looks well. The orange  
tree promise an abundant crop. I have had the  
Irish potatoes hoed the second time. The corn is about  
a foot high, pea are in bloom. The top onion  
which I brought from B. are growing finely and smell as  
"flagrant," as onions of their age and size usually do.  
 
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My orange orchard is not as large as it will be in  
a few years if nothing happens to it get it look very 
respectable at present. I have between 800 and 1000 trees.  
I suppose something upon the new house. If they commence 
operations before I get home as I think they will 
I want them to be sure and take the plaster house 
from where it stood and place it someplace on the  
north side by the Well or Woodhouse. I intend 
putting out trees and in the front yard this Spring 
I shall procure the material for the hard finish in NY 
Carman can get the timber for the barn ready if it 
has not been done but must not put it up until 
I get home. Will you inform mother that about 
3 weeks ago, as Old Blue, was at the foot of the slide 
on the lookout for grubs a piece of lumber came down  
and completely crushed her leg I have had her under my 
special care since that time and although not recovered 
she is much better and begins to use the wounded limb. 
Old Mrs Saddler is at Woodstock She desires  
love kind remembrances and to mother.  
I came near forgetting to say that we 
were all well soon to the children Tell  
Rosalind that we have got a little nigger baby 
that came very near being named after her  
but its mother thought Lucy was prettier and so it was named  
Lucy. Love and everybody, I am yours Cyrus Strong, Junior 
 
[003] 
 
John Clapp Esquire 
Binghamton New York 
 
[written inverse] 
 
Cyrus Strong Junior 
March 29 1844