George Price relays news that his brother Joseph's regiment has been decimated by both battle and disease. He laments that if he is drafted, he will go, "but damned if I take an oath to support Abe Lincoln or any other Tyrant[.]" He guesses he "would do as good service with Jeffs boys as anywhere else and know I would like the company better[.]" George also provides his assessment of national and state politics. He acknowledges Democrats' recent defeats, but believes that "if the convention nominate little Mac [George McClellan] and the abolitionists take Uncle Abe I think there is a good chance for Macks Election[.]" He also writes that he voted for the first time this fall, and wonders why "this State [Illinois] went against us I am almost certain we are the strongest[.]" He suspects voter turnout played a role in the Democrats' poor showing in his home county of McDonough.