Camp on the Battal Field

Near Dallas Geo

June 3 64

                                                                                   

Dear Let                     

ever willing to corrispond with you and duty not pressing at present I will write you a fiew lines in obedience to promise when I last saw you at your home many has been the times that I have thought of the last twenty four hours that we pased in each others society before I left you but what a change there has been since that time many families have been visited by the pale hand of death there has been 6 or 7 deaths of my acquaintance since that time and it is hard to tell who will be the next one also some of my friends here have been visited by death / there has 4 been kiled from our company I also saw Mart Wood last night he was slightly wounded in the left arm their Devision lais on our right I also heard where the 45 Ohio was but did not see it on acount of not having time I would like to see Frank Cummins very much Oh yes Let I most forgot I got a letter from you the first of this mounth dated Nov 6 1863 and mailed at Kendal Ville Nobal Co Ind I opend the letter and read a part of it and I'll bet you never saw any body more astonished than I was I could not tell what it ment finaly I looked at the heading of it when it all came to mind and no doubt but more are on the road have been miscarried but Dear Let I shal not feel hard toward you if I donot get letters often for I know the difficulty of transporting mail at present I have not heard of any of my letters as yet since I have been on / the march the rumor here was that they would not go farther than Nashville and I suppose it is so or I should have heard from some of them I have writen some 7 or 8 since I left cleaveland I received an answer from the one I wrote the day I left cleveland I am looking for a letter in to days mail but may be disappointed and now Let I will tell what is going on here in the first place Gen Hooker encountered the enemy about 6 miles from Dallas a small inland town he drove them about 4 miles when he run his men near a masked battery of which 2 Brigades was the sufferers but the battery was captured the loss I donot know shortly after our Devision was marched up in line of the left but did not skirmish till next morning the second day our regt was on the line it loss was 2 kiled and 7 wounded one of which since died it is now 10 days since the too armies have near each other I will be glad when it will be over for I am tired of the / noise I think a fiew more days will decide it here but where will be the next place that a stand will be made is more than I can tell it is reported that Hooker has possession of Altonia gap if so Johnson is in a close place for that is between him and Atlanta but I must close for I have to help issue rations my health is good and hoping these fiew lines may find you well give my best wishes to your folks

                                               

I am your effectionate and faithful Husband

Frank Ashley

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