June the 20 AD 1864

Camp near Chattanooga Tenn

 

Dear wife I sit down to answer your wellcome letter which I received to day it wose dated the 14 I got one from janey the saime time and wose glad to hear from you all that you and the rest of the friends wose all well I am well and hoaping theas fiew lines may find you all in the same health I hav not got mutch news rite at this time any more than that the report is in camp that the rebs is a coming in to Chattanooga to knight and the boys has got thear guns loaded to giv them as warm a recption as thay can for my part I wood like to sea them come as wee hav got a good many nigero troops hear and I wood / like to sea them fight well martha I had forquer with me for diner last sabeth and he is as fat as a pig he is doing guard duty hear at the field hospitel woron is in Chattanooga in the convolesent camp he loocks harty I hav not herd from the boys in the regment for som time when I last heard the boys that you no wose all wright thear has bin grate meny woonded fetch in to this place from the frunt sence this fight comenst but it has bin my luck to not git in the fight so far but if I doant go in to the wettern pioneers I will go to the frunt and run my chance with the rest of the boys I expect if I go to my regmen that I will bee sent thar beefore long as the pioneers is a bout broak up a good meny of the pioneers time is out and the most of the rest that / has got as long as mee to stay has gon in to them a gain for 3 years or during the wore I think that the wore cant last mutch longer then my time no how and if I go in to the pioneers a gain I will bea at home a bout the 4 of july and if not I cant tell you when I will git home it will not bea till this fight is over I hav not maid up my mind what I will do yet if I thot that this year wood not end the wore I wood go to my regment it is raing hard to knight and a bout 10 oclock and must for this time

           

rite soon

 

John Forsyth   To

Martha Forsyth

                                                                       

So no more good by 

 

well Jancy I am to sleepy to ansuer yourn to knight but if the rebs doant tak mee I will ansuer it soon if I doant come home

 

 

[upside down]

 

Co I 2 Battalion

            Pioneer

            Chattanooga Tenn

SOURCES