Camp 20^th Conn Vols.

Tantellon Station Tenn. Jan. 12^th 1864

           

My Dear Parients,

                        Your letter of the 30^th Dec I recieved last night. Since I wrote you last we have moved from Stevenson up here. We came here last week marched it in little more than one day a distance of 19 miles carrying all of our things and three days rations. twas the coldest weather we have had this winter almost if not quite as cold as we have at home. the first night we camped out it snowed quite hard we a few of us camped in an / old blacksmiths shop without any floor or chimney and nearly all the sides torn off. We built up a fire on the ground in the center, of rails and boards. I made a pot of coffee in the new pail you sent me spread out my blankets rolled up and was soon fast asleep snow and wind howling around such is a soldiers life. what would I thought or any one when at home, to leave a warm house, take all your clothing, the roof to your house, a haversack with all of your rations feed & canteen for three days blankets and overcoat, gun and cartrige box, 40 rounds of ball cartriges and start off in mid winter stoping where night found you and sleep on the ground and snow comeing out alive. Nothing like being used to it as the / boys say. if some of the boys in the Regt had been in Portland Mr. Tom Seymour would rode out of town on a sharp edged rail, the old copperhead. I havent recieved John Q Gs letter yet yet. I bought a pair of boots a few days since for five dollars. home-made pair which would have cost eight dollars here bought them of one of the boys in our company who got them of a fellow who had just come from home. And I havent got money enough to pay for them. "thats whats the matter". Please send me three dollars if convenient I expect we will not be paid untill March then 52 dollars and I will try and send some home / staying three days and nights in Nashville took quite a number of dollars from my pile. I will send my old book soon I got my new one about a week ago all-right. I write a soon as I get a letter from you it seems by Miss Lewis letter that Mr Dennison read my letter about Groves death. I guess it went around some I would like to hear from Miss White. I think we will not stay here a great while it is rumored that we have got marching orders now. The 5^th Conn Vols start for home tomorrow reenlisted for three years more. But I must now close with much love to all I remain your Soldier Son

Henry

 

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Tell me in your next how much father got for his tobacco per pound

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