In this letter to her cousin Felix, Jennie McKay describes a number of issues of concern to Confederate families during the Civil War. She reports that her home was burned during the same night that the Price raid was camped at the Old Trading Post on its retreat 15 miles from our house. She also discusses her brother James, who belonged to Shelby's Brigade. Old Joe as the boys all called him was too spunky to surrender but took as many of his command as would go: and went to Mexico all of the Thomas boys got through the war Jake and Jimmie come back to Missouri. Additionally, she reports her outrage at the prices of pigs, cows, calves, horses, corn and apples in her area.

Jennie also relates her brother-in-law's report of her older sister Christiana's death of what her family believed to be typhoid fever. Although she was treated and seemed to improve for a week, she eventually developed an abcess on her left-lung and the fever recurred. She declined quickly and died in the morning of October 28, 1865. Although Jennie grieves the only Sister I ever had, she also expresses her confidence that Christiana has passed to That better Land from whose bourne no traveler ever returns.