Camp at Chattanooga Tenn.

Nov 11^th 1863

No 32 Home

 

Dear Friends                                                                                                   

                        I received yours of the 19 ult. on the 4 inst. was very glad to hear from you again. I have not been very well for a few days past but am on duty now. one trouble was, the scarcity of rations we had been haveing a spell of wet weather which made the roads very bad, which delayed our supply trains, but we got two boats running up from Bridgeport which brings us plenty now. Gen Hooker had quite a skirmish with the rebs on "Lookout" a while ago. since then we have been doing nothing only shelling each other when / we get a good chance. our Regiment was on picket the night that Hooker advanced the two lines were not two rods apart. a little creek was between us. the rebs kept prety close behind their trees. we had little rifle pits dug on our side so the rebs could not see us very well but we could see them very well. the wind blew cold & they would lean their guns up against a tree & run back so as to get warm or sit down & hug the tree as close as possible. the pickets belonged to Longstreets Corps.

 

            I have been prety buisy the last week changeing my tent & banking up for winter it is prety cold down here. last night we had quite a frost for this country. I believe I would / freeze if I should come up where you have snow.

 

            We have heard from our missing boys. we received a letter from our 1^st Lt. dated "Libby Prison Richmond Va" he says that there are 110 of our Regt there nine from our Company he accounts for three more wounded that we knew nothing about which makes our loss killed 3 wounded 9 total 12. Prisoners—9 Present for duty that were in the fight 4. agregate 25. the no we went into the fight with, four is all that got out safe from our company that were in the fight. our company draws rations for 8 men. the Regiment has 60 men for duty prety large number for two companies. nine companies / consolidated into one & one company that was not in the fight.

 

            I suppose that there is not much going on since election. we could not vote here in our regiment only one company on account of not haveing officers enough. We were payed off again to day for 4 month I received ($52) fifty two dollars I have got a draft on New York for $225. for our company which I shall send to A. E. Bates the same as I did before. you will have to go up to Menasha for mine I have sent $50 dollars. Tell Uncle I wish he would make out an account of the amount I have sent home & how much he has used in getting things for me, including this last pair of boots & other things. the reason is I want to have $500.00 when I am discharged & I dont think I will draw any more pay after the 1^st of next January. I want to send home $300. by that time & I want to know how much short I am. /

 

The things I would like are these 1 pair of boots, 1 pair of flanell shirts if you have not got them made you need not get them, unless you have the flanell & are makeing them, 1 pair of socks, 1 pair suspenders, 1 pocket book 1 jacknife two bladed, with two or more blades, & before the 1^st of January a good diary, the same size of the one I have got or a little larger, not any smaller. get one that will carry a comon size envelop. any of these things you can send through the first chance you can get, except the diary. that I dont care about untill next January.

 

            Mr Benson has got here all safe has not preached to us yet. we are going to finish the forts here now they quit / work on account of the men not haveing rations.

 

            I received a letter from Cousin Sarah. All the folks were well at Menasha. Uncle was getting along fast Lenora had got there she had not been very well, did not seem to like her brothers wife very well. dont blame her, if all accounts are true.

 

Cousin James is well. he is agoing to try & get a furlough to go home & settle his fathers buiseness up. I hope he will get one but hardly think he will get one. I saw some New York boys yesterday belong to Hookers army the first I have seen in town. they think this a prety rough country. Please make out a bill of the things I have sent for & mark down what they cost. write as soon as you get this & let me know when you get the money

 

love to all at home my best respects to all who enquire.

 

I saw Pete Dane the other day he is well & in good spirits. Yours as ever    

Frank.

 

excuse haste.

 

[margins]

 

Send me a package of those heavy yellow envelops medium size. send by mail.

 

The rebs are shelling over on our right from Lookout Mt. last night our guns shelled them prety hard no harm done on our side        Frank

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