Memphis Tennessee

June 9^th 1863

 

Dear Wife again I had the glorious opportunity to write you from this place which we reached about 10 last night My health I am happy to say is no worse than when I left St Louis I am getting along well as I could expect and all is moving as smoothly as one need wish under the circumstances The boys are all most all well I & S are so is Moulton. I was on duty all day & night of the 8^th It was pretty hard on me but I had rather be at work any time than idle so I took my turn with the rest I board mostly on the boat at 50 cts per meal excuse this blot as it cant help it / It has been running hard for the past 2 days & we have a jolly time sleeping 800 men in the dry you had better think The cabin floor is covered densely & systematically from end to end heads to heads in center The Capt & I have 2 state rooms in which we sleep 6 each beside ourselvs I was Officer of the Day the first rainy night & had all the planing to do It is pouring rain now for certain and the men ar crowding around but in fine glee I assure you It does not look much like the neat traveling boats you have been used to see no more so than your house is like Mrs Vandevorts nor so much so I manage to get our Company in good sleeping places most of the time the Capt does not try much only for /

I cannot write well on my knee

 

himself & lives like a starved cur but Sarah I will try to live well if I have an appetite to eat if I have to borrow money now to live on for I have enough at home keep me & you & I hope to enjoy it my papers are on the way to being accepted but no doubt I will go to Vicksburg In fact I want to go there as that is my destination & business It is 500 miles from here & will take us 6 or 7 days yet to go down & my resignation has to go to Grant before finally accepted & when it it is I will return as soon as I can unless I am well enough & the sick & wounded need my time and attention then ought I not to give it them but I have no idea I could do it as my back is verry lame & weak I am ashamed of this letter Sarah it is so blotted 

 

All the country from here to Cairo is almost deserted a few remain & seem to be loyal wave their hats or cloths of any kind from the bank But evry thing looks waste & dreary but little land under cultivation to be seen So much for slavery The Memphis papers gives us but little news & in fact none but what we have had this is a slow country & news is longer getting here than to you by the papers I hardly know what more to say only a little business matter when you pay Louisy Wilkins let her sept a receipt I shall send in this you can put the date you pay it or she can where I will have a blank space for the date & month I will give John a dubill here for the money & the receipt will cut it off when paid I do not know when I can write you again but as soon as I can I will and at all times now good by my love with you always            

O Barnard

SOURCES