I am not quite sure if I answered the kind letter you wrote to me some time ago as I have been writing home so often I really forget when I wrote to you last, however should I not have answered your kind letter I hope you shall accept of an apology as I should like to write to you much oftener than I do, if I had time.

I very seldom hear from Mary Jane or Father now. I suppose they think I have been killed and there is no use writing.

I think in one of my earlier letters to you I promised to send you a Rose but I am sorry to say that I cannot fulfil my promise in the meantime as all the Roses have died away. However I shall send you some Hollyhock seed which I picked on the banks of the [...] and as you are a Botanist I have no doubt you may bring them to perfection in your Garden.

There is no rest here, and we are gradually drawing nearer and nearer to the enemy's works and I believe it is in contemplation to attack the town very soon again and I sincerely hope that success may crown our aims. We were all rather down in our luck after the reverse of the 18th of June but that melancholy day is almost forgotten now and I am sure our soldiers shall distinguish themselves by that undaunted courage in the next attack which they have shown hitherto.

I met an old friend the other day in Robert Hyndman of the 3rd Regt. We took a long ride together, he looks the same as he did at Irvine Academy (if anything rather younger).

Hoping your nephews are well and with compliments to Ann I remain my dear Mrs MacLaren yours affectionately,

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