Chattanooga Tenn

July 22^d 1864

                       

Dear Sister

               I resieved your welcom letter this morning And glad to hear from you it is the first letter that I have resieved since I left the front I supose that there is several letters at the Regment for me I have wrote to Charley to send them to me at this place. Well mary I am still in my bed I have not ben able to set up eny since I was wounded but my arm is getting along as well as can be expected and I am in in hopes that I will to set up a little before long / you wanted to know what kind of fair I have here it is not the best but still it does very well for a soldier I have seen worse and I have no reason to complain I have enough to eat such as it is and I am satisfied and in good spirits I am allways lively and make fun for the other wounded boys that is lying here with me for what is the use of being down harted there is meny a noble young man lying here wounded in this Hospital with me and meny that must soon die I have plenty of comp company you just bury eny trouble about me for I thing I will come out all right 

 

            You wanted to know if we have a good Doctor our Ward has a very good one and the boys all seem to like him. I have not heard from frank since I left the font I mean to come North this fall if I can for I will not be able to do duty in the field this year Give my respects to all the girls and to Mr barker and Mr and Mrs Hall well I must close for I getting tired write soon and I the same as before

 

From your brother George Rutherford

To Mary R /

 

Miss Hessenger

            your welcom note came to hand this morning with sister maryes and I am glad that you think enough of a wounded soldier to write a fiew cheering words to him. you sayed that you should think that I would forget a stranger friend in a time like this when suffering from a severe wound. but that is the time when the soldier has reason to think of his home and friends you and I will now longer be strangers to each other for it seams that I have known you for a long time. Your kind words are allways gladly resieved by me

 

[top margin upside down]

 

Well I must close I shall be happy to hear from you often

 

your true friend George Rutherford

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