Camp between London and the Gap Oct 18, 1863

           

My dear Sister

                        Fearing that you will be anxious if I do not write about once a week I now sit down to write a few lines, as I do not expect as favorable an oppurtunity again for some time I wrote in my last of monday that we expected to move on towards the Gap. We left our camp three miles from London where we had been over four weeks yesterday pm and marched nine miles to Laurell Bridge where we camped last night. It was a fine day and we spread our blankets without pitching tents and laid down but awaked to find it raining and it continued raining heavily till this noon when it cleared off we started in the rain and mud the roads were in a bad condition and after slumping along about 6 miles we stopped at about 11 oclock in some old out buildings connected with an Hotel where we have a good chance to dry / ourselves up. I am now in good quarters (for a soldier) in a barn on the hay I have not received a letter from home since the 2^nd, owing no doubt to irregularity in the mail as I presume you have written We started with six days rations of hard tack and two of meat in our haversacks besides what is in the teams. Cattle being driven along and butchered on the road. we will probably be 11 or 12 days on the road to Knoxville. Our Co have hired a team to carry our knapsacks we pay him one cent a mile each knapsack being 60 cts to the Gap. I am enjoying good health and hope all you at home are. I hope Eddie is getting better We are now about 12 miles from Barboursville. you can follow us by the map if will consult a large scale map of Kentucky. You need not be surprised if you do not receive a letter from me for a couple of weeks but I will try to write again about a week if I have a favorable oppurtunity. The 11^th obtained a good name by their good conduct, from the inhabitants around London and many expressed regrets at our leaving. I wrote you in / my last to have a few stamps sent out as it is rather difficult getting them here But as it is getting late I will draw to to a close write as often as you can and all the news you can. write all that is going on in the family even if it is no more than about the old cat if you have any. Give my respects to Uncle Charles and all enquiring friends my love to all the folks. Tell them to write. Excuse bad writing as I am in a hurry

 

from your Brother William

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