Lenoir Tenn. Nov 7^th 1863

 

My Dear Father.

                        Your good long letter of Oct 22^nd came to hand on quick time, having been only about ten days on the route. It is the last one I have received so of course I am on the lookout for more. There has not yet been any train to-day and I fear there wont be any for I think the cars are busy transporting troops. One brigade of our Division left here on the cars at midnight last night, probably for Greenville or that vicinity as there is a rumor that Gen'l Wilcox who is in command there has been compelled to fall back some distance. It must have been pretty hard on the men to leave the comfortable quarters, hardly finished yet, however I suppose they will come back again. The troops have got a very good camp here and have built quite neat houses. Lenoir is getting to be a busy little place since we came here. There is a large grist mill in operation, one or two saw mills besides a couple of smaller grist mills, a bakery is almost finished. There is also an engineer corps being organized for our Corps and a pontoon bridge train being built. The pontoon boats taken up at London are poor affairs and are not fit for transportation. We had a rain storm the other day but it is now clear and / pleasant, not a bit Novemberish. Rations are still scarce but improved somewhat. I dont think the bread and flour we get here is very healthy but it is all that is to be had and we are glad to get it. Our mess has means of obtaining things from Knoxville so that we are enabled to enjoy such luxuries as potatoes, onions, molasses and apples. I would like much to see a newspaper the latest one I have seen was a Cincinnati Commercial of Oct. 16^th. I dont think they bring papers over the mountains any more for there have not been any in the mail for a couple of weeks. It seems to be as much as they can do to get the letters through. We have a rumor here that Thomas has whipped Bragg but it lacks confirmation. There are many other rumors afloat but they dont need mention as you know all about them. Sam Garrigne has not "got along" yet. Myers had a letter a few days since, when he was at Camp Denison and expecting to leave for here about the 1^st inst. I dont think I ever told you that a few days before the arrival of my box, despairing of receiving it I bought an entire new set of underclothing (shirts and drawers) at an expense of fifteen dollars but I subsequently sold them so as not to lose anything. Will you please tell me what the shirts cost. There have been many inquiring the price.

 

All well.                     

 

Your affectionate son

Matthew A Cowden.

 

[top front margin upside down]

 

Dr Christ wants me to ask the No. of Hayes' house

SOURCES