No. 37.

November the 23, /63

Alabama        

Ala, Camped in

the field,                                                                                                            

 

Dear Mollie,

I received a letter the 20 sent by Genings. when we were at bridgeport it came in Lens letter No 30. the last one before that was No 27, so you see thare are 2 missing. we are camped near the lines of Ala, Tenn & Georgia. we are about 20 miles from Chatanuga. our Division started out yesterday with 4 days rations & one team to the regiment. the rest of the teams are here & I stayed with them I have a pain in my side I think from the efects of a cold it is some better to day. if the weather is pleasent for a fiew days iwill get over it. I think we will leave here in a day or two. I under / that we are to form the right of this grand army. if that be so we have some 60 miles to march yet & a very mountainious country. when we get five miles further we can see lookout mountains. the rebels have some force on them & some artilery they had to winless their canon for thar is no chance to get a team up the mountain. they pack their rations on mules. I think it is Grants obgect to form a gunction in their rear & cut of their suplies, unless old Brag retreats he will do it I think

 

well Mary this is the mos desolate country I ever saw. everything is distroyed fences burned crops all taken, some by the rebels & the balance by our army. what fiew siticens / are at home are oblige to draw rations from the government. thare are 3 young maried ladies living about one mile from here that are oblige to draw their rations from the government & their husbands are in the rebel army they dont like it much, they were oblige to take the oath in order to live. thare are thousands in a starving condition, not as much as a bushel of corn or a pound of poark to live on. it is the case whare ever we have been this fall & we have traveled some 400 miles since the 9 of September. what horses & mules the rebels did not take we did so they havent enything to work with or to raise a crop. I think they will be oblige to give up after a while. well Mary I dont no as I have much more / to write this time. the boys are all gone with the regiment except Blakeslee, Ferguson, Hainiston Klise & my self. we were not very well & were left to take care of the bagage. Landon had the ague a day or two before he left & it makes him think of his wife when she useto have it. Vrooman has not been very well for two or three weeks but is improving now so he thought he would go with the regiment. Owen Farly is not well he has been sick for some time. I saw him this morning he is about the same. well Mary I dont no when I can write again as thare is not much chance to mail a letter So you cannot look for many for a while. So goodby for this time

 

direct your leters as usual.

 

From your husband O Shibly

                       

Mollie C Shibly

 

as Len is not here I thought I would direct my letter as usual

SOURCES