Camp at London Ky Oct 2, 1863

           

My dear Father,

                        I now sit down to pen you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope these will find you the same. I received one bundle of six papers from home day before yesterday I also received this morning a letter from Martha dated the 20^th and 23d in it she said she had sent me three batches of papers the rest may come along soon. I am very sorry to hear that Eddie is sick I hope this will find him improved. I wrote home a week ago wednesday I received Mothers picture The weather has been quite pleasant weather lately but yesterday was stormy I was on picket yesterday and came off this morning. Gill is pretty slim just now. Ira Wilkins is well. Capt Dudley is still in command of the reg't He is now complaining that he is sick (as there is some prospects of our moving down into Tennessee. He pretended to be sick when we left Crab Orchard, as he perhaps thought we should have / a brush and passed on the road big as life in a carriage and when we got to camp he was all right enough to domineer over the boys he is despised by nearly all of the men. We long for our beloved Colonel Harriman to come back to hear once more his cheerfull voice and to see his commanding form and who will treat us as men. I might write many things concerning Dudley but forbear. I would not be in his shoes for any money when we all get home. It is rumored and I think there is some truth to it that we are to leave this place monday and go to Tennessee but we have no orders yet. I guess, if we do not move and stop here this coming winter I shall have a good pr of no 9 boots sent out. My boots I have on I think will go it 6 or 8 weeks if we march. they are the ones you sent me last winter and have travelled many and many a mile in Kentucky and Miss. We may not have to move from here at present as we were stationed here this is a Military Post and there is considerable picket guard and fatigue duty to do. There is a great / deal of travell on this road by teams troops &c An Indiana Brigade of six months men was through here one day this week and camped here one night they are new regiments and look very large compared to ours. They were the greenest lot take them as a whole that it has been our lot to see this long time and caused much sport. We are camped at the fork of two roads one leading to Crab Orchard and the other to Lexington and Richmond We are at a place called Pitman's Ford 70 miles to Lexington and 45 to Richmond by the guide post. Pedlars are plenty in camp The women and men come in horse back with potatoes apples pies biscuit milk &c. They are rather ignorant and not much wonder. If you could hear some of these Kentuckians talk it would cause you to smile at some of their expressions. I go out now and then and get some gray squirrells for breakfast. I shot a fox the other day. I will send a picture in this the last one I have and also a rebel 10 ct bill which I got at Jackson Miss. But I have not much more to write so I will close. Tell Charley and / Uncle Charles and the rest of the folks to write and I will answer. My love to Mother and all the rest. From your son William

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