April 5 1864

 

            Dear wife I embrace this present opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am still in the land of the living I have not been very well for two or three weeks but not sick enough to report unable for duty this morning I feel some better we have had so much hard marching & duty to do that I am worn out we need rest but little prospect of getting it soon I shall beg of you to excuse me for not writing sooner as it has been so long I do not recollect when it was when I last wrote to you we were at Harissonburg and about the time I should have written we were ordered to Alexandria which took us five or six days we got to pineville opposite Alexandria one morning cooked up rations next morning crossed the river leaving everything but blankets & cooking tricks expecting them to cross & follow on but before they crossed the gun boats were anchored at that place which was the same evning the wagons made up the river & crossed above & went to natchidoches. we marched some 16 or 18 miles below Alexandria & fell in behind Walker to cover his retreat & we have been retreating ever since & maneuvering ever since during this time I have had no paper nor ink to with & but little opportunity if I had Fort Derusia was taken without any fighting with about two hundred of our men why it was or how it is that after working all winter on that place they would give it up with out fighting any is a puzzle to me there seems to be something wrong about it. Our cavalry has been fighting with them nearly all the time Gen Green got in from Texas with his cavalry a few days ago & has been doing good service since I expect some heavy fighting soon I thought we were going to have it day befor yesterday but they didnt attack & we fell back again we are now about 35 miles from Shreveport on the road leading from Shreveport to Natchidoches I have not much idea how strong we are here it is reported that there are a strong force of federals coming from Monroe & one from Little rock one report say Price is at Shreveport another that he has gone back towards monroe 

 

a Soldier here may imagine a thing & tell it & in a short time will be told in camp for the truth if Price joins us with his army we will have a heavy force & the yanks had better not come to se us they have the advantage of us in there gun boats I do not know how high up they are yet some place above Grandicon I received a letter from you yesterday which was the first I had gotten for some time it was N^o 6 written Feb 16^th it was read with a great deal of pleasure & satisfaction that is the greatest pleasure I enjoy out here is in reading your letters & hearing that you were well though you wrote Johny was sick but I will hope he is well now you wrote you had been over to se Boons wife & had enjoyed yourself finely which was a great pleasure to me to hear & it wish is my wish that you enjoy yourself all you can also Matilda tell her I think that walking & taking exercise will be advantageous to her health Give my respects to Elen Bradley & Betty Colwell I have learned to love them just from what you wrote about them they are so kind & good I never knew a betty but what was good I did not know that you were close to them I am glad you are though & hope they may be a source of joy & comfort to you while I am gone you said you had gotten another letter from Ed Milt I was very glad to hear from him & to hear he was well it would have given me more pleasure to have gotten a letter from him the letter he got was written when I was on the Chafalia last fall I wrote one to him the first of Jun at Monroe I would like very much to se him I have never heard any thing from north Mo since you wrote about Halls moving to Lagrange if price's Army joins us probably I will get to come I se no prospect at all now we are expecting a fight soon I hope for your sake that I may get through safe & sound & the children tell them I want to see them very bad I sent two hundred dollars to you by James downard he promised to call on you it will soon be time for him to return again we expect this Regt to be filled up soon again you must write to me often I will write evry opportunity I would like to know how you are living now & what your prospects are for another year tell Jess if he is tired riding I would like to swap places with him a while. give my respects & love to Jess & family tell them to write to me my love to you & the children & hoping & praying that we may soon meet again & that you & my friends may have the love & sympathy of our Creator I will close your affectionate Husband           

Thomas. W. Johnson

 

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