Trinity La Feb 26^th 1864

 

            Dear wife & Sister I avail myself of this opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am in the enjoyment of very good health & hope these lines may find you the same I have not much news to write to you as we are not doing any thing much at this time we left Harissonburg last friday and came to this place & are now fortifying at this place there are about one hundred negroes working here they have worked considerably on the ft at Harissonburg & had two heavy guns mounted there when we left 32 pounders I suppose it is the calculation to fall back there if we have to leave here, there is no feds nigher here than Natchez that I know of, the river is too low for gun boats to run, red river is very low, now, which is very favorable on our side Walker's force is at ft Derusa & I suppose that place is well fortified & will be hard to take, reports are that we have been whipping them across the river again Lieut Milton Jacks will start out this evening & will take this letter he lives Bosque County I wrote you that Jim Downard had started home I am in hopes he will come to see you Will Downard came into camp a few days after Jim left he is well. I would not be surprised if some of the boys came home before long without furloughs I want to se you all very bad if you were well situated & had plenty of room & out of danger I would not care so much about coming home now. but as it is & Jess being gone from home I am not satisfied I hope though you & Matilda will try to make / of a bad thing

 

thing you can & try & live as contentedly as you can I am in hopes Jess will get to be with you some & help you along I know though you will be very lonesome as you write it is two miles to the nearest neighbor & I dont expect you will visit much but I would say make as many neighbors as you can & do the best you can & may the Lord be with you I want you to write to me often & tell me your prospects ahead whether you are raising any thing for your selves or not & how crops are this year & what stock & grain is worth if you know any thing of Ben's Terrys or Downards folks write about them, tell John Wallis & John they must act like men now for it wont be long till they will have to go in to the service if this war continues tell the children I think about them a heap & they must be good & kind to their parents & one another & kiss them for me if I could send it a letter would go from here to Sister Lura in 3 or 4 days. I am going to try to get a letter to them I have not heard any thing from Ed milt yet. well as I had nothing to write when I commenced & have nothing yet I will bring my letter to a close by sending you my love & respects. So no more at present but remain your affectionate Husband & Brother

Thomas. W. Johnson

 

I wrote you a letter on the 17^th inst

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