Camp Kiomitia April 21^st 1863

 

Dear Betty I embrace this opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you hear from me I arrived here Sunday after I left home about as well as usual and found the boys about half in camp and in very good spirits Scruggs and will Downard have lost their mules since they come here they hobbled them out on the grass went the next day and found them left them on the grass and have not seen them since they had sold them if they had found them I left my horse on the other side of the river form here about three miles from camp I have not tried for a transfer yet but from what I can learn I think it very doubtful about getting one Captain bumpus is not here we are looking for him he was a going to try to have our Squadron mounted and put under Cooper if so it is probable that we will be put on the frontier I received my money of Bonham without any trouble and will send 200 dollars and my horse to you by mr Sullivan if he will take them he leaves on to morrow I will draw some more money to you this week and send it to you by Parson Hamel when he comes and also write to you then. Spate's Regiment started for fort Smith to day this Regiment will start soon as it can get ready which will be ten days or two weeks we have flour and bacon plenty that is all with salt we are very bad off for tents & cooking utensils about forty of us have one oven three skillets one tekette & two or three frying pans. we drill evry day now but Saturdays & Sundays I think I will like to drill very well. I expect you have been very lonesome since I left I hope apalonia will be with you by the time this reaches you. our friend Pugh has not been in camp yet I understand he has been detailed to drive a team what he has done with my / things I have not learned I am afraid never will we hear the feds are fortyfying at Fayetville you must write to me as often as you can it will be a great relief to me and perhaps a satisfaction to you I have not any thing more of interest to write to you now and hope these lines may find you all well and doing well you must take care of the children and kiss them for me try and have Eddy to learn his lessons tell him he must learn them for my sake. I send you my love & respects. from your affectionate husband               Thh

Thomas W Johnson

SOURCES