Camp Near Monticello Sept 30 1864

 

                        Dearly beloved wife having an opportunity of sending you a few lines I gladly accept of it & am able to inform you that I am in the enjoyment of very good health at this time your letters of the 22^d ult & 12^th inst came to hand a few days ago & was read with a thankful heart the news they contained was read with much pleasure & satisfaction & made me feel thankful to our kind creator & Redeemer who has been so merciful to us in allowing us to become his adopted children and an heir to the inheritance that is reserved for the finally faithful and my prayer to God is that he may keep us in the faith & & that we may rejoice in the hope of the glory that is in Christ Jesus your baptism & joining the church meets my entire approbation I wish you to satisfy yourself and as a matter of course I would rather you would be with me in the same Church & so it it is & I feel thankful that it is so. we have not had much meetings lately nearly all of our preachers have gone home at this time some on sick furlough & some were Missionaries.

 

            I have but little news to write it is reported that Mobile has gone up we are not doing any thing here yet only drilling making out reports & studying tacticks which keep us pretty busy. I do not think we will attack the federals up here though my ideas are nothing we might start to them to morrow I think it a good deal of difficulty to get bread & beef here though we have had plenty so far & that with salt is all we get now or expect to get hereafter the sugar and molasses has played out. Clark Loring came in awhile ago from home he left on the 18^inst but had no tidings from you I have not talked with him but little yet I have not heard any thing from Ed Milt yet neither have went up to see our Mo friends yet it is too far to walk up to se them the same day & back again & it is hard getting passes for two days at time Gen^r M^cGruder had a grand review of his troops last Monday about two miles from here near Monticello they were reviewed in an old field & men crowded up for the want of room the troops were formed in three Divisions parallel with each other Walker's Division composed of / Texas troops formed the first line Churchhill's Division composed of Arkansas & Mo. troops formed the 2^d line & Polignac's Division composed of Texas & Louisannia troops composed the 3^d line the Divisions would average about four thousand men the men were generally poorly clothed & pretty well covered with dust (as it was very dusty) Gen^r M^cGruder was mounted on a very fine horse acompanied by his Staff who were generaly well mounted & formed a good appearance the Genr seemed to be about 45 years old wore a cocked hat & military clothing he was saluted as he rode by raising his hat & in turn was saluted by the soldiers by a present arms he said nothing as he went rode by he rode by at a sweeping gallop after that he took a position & we all had to march in review a past him togeth it was a very fine sight to the spectators & horsemen but not much so to the web foot who had to endure the heat & fatigue. there were a good many spectators composed mostly of women children & Negroes. I was glad to hear that you had moved to where you will have plenty of room I shall look for clothing by Lieut Hale as he did not start back when I expected I look for him in two weeks I think I wrote to you about getting my socks they came in due time but never put them on till yesterday morning I put one pair on your suspenders I have not put on yet but must because they were sent by you I have a good pair of gloves for the winter and a pr of shoes that I have never had on yet a good over coat & sleeve jacket & two good under shirts, two pr of drawers pretty well worn & two pr of old patched pants and old hat & an old pr of shoes So you have an idea how I look but soldiers dont care much for looks out here. Still I would like to look well if I could I have some money on hand but not enough to send you any as we have some eight months due us yet besides our clothing money but it is worth nothing when we get it scarcely I hope you will be able to make out some how until I get home we have had some fine rains this week it is raining while I am writing this under a blanket streched Mathews the man that will take this starts home to morrow on sick furlough there will be no furloughs granted to this army until this campaign is over, when that will be I cannot tell. James Downard has a chill to day B H Scruggs is well health very good men in very good spirits generally. So give my love & respects to Jess & family to Mr Powel & family & Ellen & Betty tell them I would be happy to see them & make their acquaintance. So except of my love to you and the children & may God in his mercy grant to sustain protect & bless you is my prayer throug Christ from your affectionate Husband             

Tho^s W. Johnson

 

            Martha E. Johnson

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