Camp at Crab Orchard Ky Sept 14 1863

           

"My dear Sister"

                        I wrote home last tuesday the 8^th which you have probably received ere this. You now see by this that we are at Crab Orchard again. I sent you two pictures in my last. I have not received a letter from home since sept 2^nd. I intend to write home once a week when I can and I trust you will do the same. We received an old mail last evening an old July mail. I received two old Journals in it. We received orders to move and broke camp at Camp Nelson wednesday the 8^th started at noon and marched to camp Dick Robinson 11 miles and camped for the night. Thursday morning we started on again and marched to about 2 miles beyond Lancaster and went into camp at noon. This is the place where I joined the reg't last spring. Friday morning we started again and marched about 12 m. to Crab Orchard and went into camp beyond the town where we now are. Crab Orchard is noted for its mineral springs and was a summer resort before the war. I do not kn / ow how long we shall stop here Our destination is supposed to be Knoxville Tenn which is about 120 miles from here. I see by the papers that Burnside is doing good business in Tennessee. Chattanooga is gone under it is said and it may be that we will not be needed down there. The boys are pretty well worn out and not fit for much of a march The 9^th has gone back to Paris to do guard duty and the 6^th NH is left back It is said that we are going into winter quarters at Knoxville which I think probable If we go down there we will a have a chance to see so much more of the country and it is called a very healthy country Well I hope that "Burnside's Moving Menagerie" (as we are called) will haul up some time It looks now as if peace is not a great ways off. The Rebs appear to be getting discouraged 2,000 surrendered out here at the Gap to Burnside You of course read of it in the papers. We get the Cincinnatti papers a day behind I have not received those story papers yet or that silk handkerchief which I reckon is a goner although it may come along yet The weather has been warm lately and the pike very dusty but saturday we had a very / heavy shower of hail and rain which laid the dust nicely the rain was much needed. Is Charles at home now? I think it is to bad to keep him in the unhealthy Mill so long. We are to have a mail in to morrow so I will close for the present and wait to see if I get a letter to morrow. You must excuse bad writing as the paper is poor. My love to all from                                                                   

William.

 

Camp at Crab Orchard Sept 15 1863

            My dear Sister

                        We received a mail this afternoon and in it was one letter for me from Father and Mother of the 6^th and 8^th and was very welcome I assure you. I now sit down this evening by the light of the candle to let you know I am well and as we have orders to march in the morning I wish to get this into the mail as I do not expect to have a good oppurtunity to write again for four or five days as this reg't is going to London Ky to be stationed there for guard duty. We shall probably not go into Tennessee at present The order reads as though we might stop there for two or three months. The 51^st NY / and 35^th Mass we leave here at Crab Orchard I think London must be some 40 miles or more from here. You need not be anxious at all on my account. Father appears to have the impression that this is an unhealthy. I think it is the healthiest slave state we have been in although east Tennessee is called healthy. I wished you could see some parts of this state. Take it around Lexington which is called the garden spot of the state and see the scenery at Hickmans Bridge on the Kentucky river There are different kinds of mineral springs here at Crab Orchard. Epsom Sulphur &c. The people here in these small towns are a great ways behind times. There is not that energy and thrift here as there is in our neat New England towns. I would like to have one of our girls come out and show them how to cook some things better. They raise a peculiar kind of cucumber out here I will try to get some of the ripe seeds and send home They resemble our cucumbers in taste. Serg't Emerson and Mr Hutchinson send their respects to Father Wilkins is well. Capt Dudley is not very smart. Gill is well as it is bed time tattoo having been beat some time ago I will draw to a close I am glad Charley is out of the Mill tell him to write I will put in a couple of pictures. I will try to write again in about a week. please send me something to read. Give my love to all my relations, Sumner Eddie and all from your brother William.

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