John isn't feeling too well and has been in the regiment's hospital for a week in order to have better care and food. He says that he's eating like a pig there.

He has received a letter from T. E. Hughes who's in hospital in Memphis, Tenesee. John doesn't receive many letters and he feels a bit homesick, as there are only two of them from his company in the hospital. He mentions seeing one man from their company drowning in the river - he saw him falling but didn't have anything to help him with and had to watch him drown.

John wishes to receive a letter every week and says that he has received one while he was writing this one - this has lifted his spirits more than anything else during the last fortnight.