Nashville Tenn Feb 20 1863

           

Dear Brother

On the 23^rd of Jan the division to which I belong made an advance movement upon a town called Woodbary 19 miles east of Murfreesboro I was detailed as provost guard at head quarters our Regt & the 6^th Kentucky were in advance & engaged the enemy driving them out of town killing one of their best Colonls, one Lt. & a number of men during the day as luck would have it I was taken prisoner by the enemy under the command of John Morgan I suppose you have heard of the Guillerrs Morgan & the Mule have you not If you could see me now you would think that I have had a hard time of it they were in for shooting me but I felt as if I did not care I cursed him & his men to their faces for every thing that I could think of eaven down to their mulattoes they thought me a hard customer I guess they thought that I was not affraid of them they kept me a prisoner nearly three weaks I came near freezing to death as they took my coat hat & gave me no blankets / I had to sleep on the floor of my prison in the dirt & lice with the windows broken out the Rebbels would come along nights & throw brick & stone in at us two besides myself were taken at the same time they gave me one meal a day which consisted of flour mixed with water & once in a while a little salt I thought my time had come but I stood it through I am verry weak at preasant I presume that if I had had a bilous stomach I could not have stood it it injured me so much that the surgeon ha pronounced me unfit for field duty I am now in this citty awaiting for transportation to Indiana I am in hopse that the hardships of a soldiers life is nearly over with me as I have had a good share of them & have run a number of narrow risks I presume that I shal have to have some of that money as I have not drew enny since last Dec & then I drew only 26 dollars which has left me long since I wil send you the receipt & pleas be in readiness when I call for it if you could write me a few lines as soon as you recieve this & direct to Nashville Tennessee it would do no one harm eaven if I should not get the letter but I think it would reach here before I should leave do not send money until I ask it my love to all & yourself Wm H Peck

SOURCES