Doctr Bull who I met with today at <mutilated> place¹ informs me that he shall certainly set out <to>morrow for Philadelphia and if he does and delays no time on the road he will possably reach Philadelphia <a> day or two before the Wagon that is on the road with a load of hemp for you, which is my reason for writing a few lines that you may be inform'd that some little relief is at hand, by the Wagon I have wrote pretty fully and inclos'd some letters to which I refer you— I got a letter yesterday from yr Mama dated in Fredericksbg 5th Inst, she had got that far on her Journey home and all well— Mr Stubbs's attachment to drink is such as to render him unfit for my Business, I am therefore compelled to remove him and imploy one Mr Thoms Greiggs who was formerly Overseer for my Brother Saml he is a man well spoken of for sobriety diligence & honesty I hope to get this change made and set of for Westmoreland the day after tomorrow— Genl Morgin writes from <R>ichmond town that Charles Town is sertainly <e>vacuated— Which I did not expect would have hapned <mutilated> the late accts seam to breath more of war then peace.

     I think I have in one or two letters mentioned to you that letters through the channel of Mr Key² was a bad one for besides that they all pay postage, they are often obliged to lay generally from 4 to 6 Weeks for a passage to Virginia now if your Letters that come by post were sent straight forward to fredericksbg and directed to be sent on to the post office at Leeds I apprehend I should regularly get them in 8 days from their date, which would yield very great happiness to yr Mama and myself— The emasing [amazing] altiration I find in my constitution since last Augt was a year, from one of the best in the world, to a very little share of tolorable health, my constitution affected with every little chainge of the weather or even riding after sundow—reminds me strongly of the uncertainty of life, and that our family are in general rather shortlived than otherwise, makes me infinitely anxcious to see your studys compleat that afterwards you may make yr self master of all my business and transactions, so that in case providence in its wisdom should direct that I should lay down and rest from the world, that you may be quallifyed to manage for your Mama & t<ake> care of yr Brothers & Sister— I am My dear Bushrod Your very Aff. Father