Dear Mother and Sisters in Germany,

I am taking my pen in hand to tell you about the terrible situation I have to endure. I am writing and telling you that I am left alone with my four children in the woods because my husband has gone to War for one year, as of today, September 25. But if I only could write for certain that it is for one year only, then I'd gladly accept and bear these trials with patience, or if it was longer than one year, it would seem like the end of the world. If only this year will not extend into many or be the last one on this earth.

Now I can write to you that each township has to furnish so many men. Now some men were able to buy their way out. Some townships furnished all its men and some haven't furnished any. For instance, our township hasn't furnished any and needs seventy men, so now my husband got drafted. If the township would have come up with the money and bought its men, it would have averaged for the most about $30 per man. Now there were many Americans and nobody wanted them. So now the Germans volunteered to go for other townships. Now everybody gets $250 to $300 from the township they went for and everybody could go where he wants to and get each $100 from the government and everybody gets $16 a month when they are drafted.

If it didn't have to be, Engelbert would not have gone. If anyone would have given him $1000, he'd have waited until the last day until he would know for sure that he'd be drafted. This is the third time that they drafted, but the first two times, one was free if one would pay $300. Nearly everyone would have paid it if he could scrape it together, but in this draft they could not, else they would not be able to get enough men. First they took the money, but now they take the men. Now you can see the racket they have here in America.

Dear mother and relatives, I can write to you I have $500 on interest and have money in the house for whatever I need. This week I threshed 300 bushels wheat, 80 bushels barley, and 200 bushels of oats. Have all the grain laying there yet. The wheat is worth $1.40 a bushel, the barley $1.50 and the oats 75¢. Then I have eighteen head cattle and six nice hogs. I have very nice corn and lots of potatoes and rutabagas. I wish I would have what I had the first year when my husband was home. But everyone has to bear it patiently. Then we must thank our dear Lord if he burdens us with one. But I can write to you that at times one can hardly bear it.

I have to console myself that I am not alone without a husband. In my whole neighborhood there are only two men left. The rest are all gone and every woman has children. My brother-in-law, John Schmieg, is also here and also will stay here, but he is not from our township. Erhardt is also gone. He was drafted once, paid $300 and now he volunteered to go. This township hasn't furnished any men. Holbloth was drafted also but he skipped the country. The single ones stay at home and the married ones have to go and leave wife and children.

So now I will close my letter for this time and think now you will know enough news and hope that my writing will find you all in the best of health, as it is from here, thnaks to God. Also pray for us that the good Lord will bring us together again. That yet is my dearest wish. Then also a hearty greeting from my man to you and all his people. He no doubt will write to you himself pretty soon.

I hope and wish longingly to receive a letter from you. In May I sent off a letter to you. No doubt you received it and I will soon write again. Again with heartiest greetings from me, especially to my mother, and will remain your unforgettable daughter and sister.