Feb 4^th 1862               

Fort Donelson Tenn

           

My dier brother I again seat myself in order to wright you a fiew lines in answer to yore letter I recieved of you dated Feb 1^st 1862 I was glad to hear that you was verry well and famuley and all of the rest of my beloved friends tell Gerldine and baby and all of the rest of my peopple howdy for me. I am well at presant and fatning fast tell mother that I am giting so fat that my coat will hardley button on me and also tell her not to grieve herself about me about beeing at fort Donelson for ther is not half as much danger her as ther is at home so rest contented We was called on to march on the 19^th of Jan to go to Fort Henry to whip the Yankeys the third day the gunboat come up after a little boat that went down the river to git her to folow her up near a nuf to the foart so as to git a shot at her a bout 12 Oclock they come up the river a halowing as ever sin The gone boat fiared at our boat 7 times / we fiared 1 shot at her some say it hit her but I dont know but she is a fieared to come back any how she threw a fiew bumbs at the foart but done no damage a tall last sonday me and all of the C^om that was was at work well we had a fine time of it we caught 6 squirels I reckon I had better tel you first how we caught them we was a cuting timber down to keep the yankeys Cavelry off of us if they should attack us we halve to work ever other day. I got Henry a firlow for him to go home and Blackard they started 30^th of Jan he is at home by this time if no axident has hapened to him I am was a fiered he couldant make it he wanted to go so bad I thought he had better go as J. R. Demonbrier was going to so he could take cear of him if he is not at home when you git this letter I want you to come to Clarkesville after him for I know if he is stoped it was at Clarkesville and if he has got home I want you to wright to me so I may know it for you dont know how oneasy I am now to hear from him Old Doctor Hedd sayed it he didant now ther was any / thing the matter with him he thought he was acting the hipocrit. the last time he was in Henry's mess Henry asked the Doctor what was the matter with him the Doctor asked him how he felt Henry told him from Red Springs to Fort Donelson how he was and had bin so the Doctor examined him and pronounced him in a bad fix I asked the Doctor what was the matter with Henry he would not tell me I asked J M Pinson to ask him he told him that he was in serious condition somthing lik the hipoconderas I think he thinks it is the consuption if you will wright to me if Henry is at home or not the C^om is generaly tolerable well at this time. So remaining yore affectionate brother so no more at presant well                                            sick

The balanc are well                                                                            M. Browning

W. Rodgers is well                                                                             T. C. Eidson

C. D. Hodson  "                                                                                  Dick Choat

J. M. Pinson    "                                                                                  Drue Warn

T.Washam      "                                                                      none of the above

S. G. C. Elmore "                                                                    names are much sick

all off the Moudy's                                                                  but Eidson

"          " Oquins                                                                      so no more at presant

F Glover & C Glover and J M Nielson is well                       Thomas Bell /

 

To Cornelius Bell a fiew lines to you in behalf of exspecting some to come I am well and doing well I halve aplenty of worke to doe an a plenty to eat and what more doe you think I would want a plenty besids of clothes and giting as fat as a hog tell the blackones that I am verwell pleased in my trip I halve sum 1000 Dolars worth of one thing and a nother I can see a wagon and teem run away every day or two a bout a month ago ther was a teem of mules run away with a load of boxes that wer sent from home to some of the boys in C^or Suga Reg of Melitia filled with sweet cakes and pyes it was a butiful sight to see the boxes and pyes flye the Melitia a picking them up and we our Reg a halowing heres yore mule this is all fun for me I wonder if the yankeys wont come and give us a twist at all. I dont think they will I know they wont come if they know the best for themselvs If you can ketch a yankey and put I want you to send him down her I want to see him ther is none her you must right to me iff John does not as soon as you git this letter and in a weeke if he does Tell Mother Father and the blacksons and all of my friends howdy for me remaining yore affectionate brother Thomas Bell

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