Head Quarters 54^th Regt ovi

                                                                        Camp near       Memphis Tenn

                                                                                    September 5^th 1862

 

Dear Cinda

                        Again I seat myself to write you a few lines that you may see the changes of A few days I wrote to you day Before yesterday a long letter which you will Probily get tomorrow if the Rebils do not get into Cincinnati and Raise the devel and stop the male communication Well we have had quite a change Since Yesterday

 

Yesterday morning we were talking that we would stay in Our Camp 2 or 3 months and we hardly had the words out of our mouthes when the Order came to March in One hour accordingly at it we went and our Kit was packed and and as we were at it there Came up a Beautiful Shower and Laid the dust Well the teams were soon there and Loaded up and We fell in Line and some allowed we were going to the Patomac But We Marched on about 4 miles and halted and Dark by this time had Overtaken us But the Moon was shining we soon got the order to Countermarch by file left and went Back and Struck the Fernando Road and Marched on that about a Mile and camped in another Splendid grove Only About 2 Miles from the City in full as nice a place as the Other the property being Owned by Secishionests as is generally the case/Well after a hard march for me not being use to it I was put On Officer of the Guard Which I Readily done placing my Guards as well as I could in the dark and I did not Get a chance of any sleep except a nap of 10 minutes or so to time in my Chair I was perfectly wet through with Swet and the night air made me Very Chilly and if I had laid down as some of them did I should have taken my death cold The officers laughed when they saw me on duty they Said Col Smith Beter Say again he had no buisniss with Me But I care less and less every day he is Drunk 1/2 of the time Last night when we got into camp 5 or 6 of the prominant Officers Went to a house and called for Supper they asked me to go But I excused myself And Just as they were Ready to sit down to supper the Colonel Rode up and wanted to no if there were any Stragelers there Richardson says yes he says Well By God I would thank Capt Richardson to stay in camp and the Rest of his officers they wanted to stay till after super he Riped and swore and says I make it an Order that You go amediately to camp and Remain there and they all had to come without any Supper so you see they all catch it as well as me My Maters are the same as they were when I wrote you last I do not feel near as Bad as I calculated I should to day We have our tent all fixed up and the whole Camp are Busy making Bunks &c and it sounds like some/New and enterprising town of Mecannicks and Reminds me of days gone by God grant I may see them again We have a good floor in Our tent and a nice desk which the Boys stole out of a Schoolhouse and we are fixed up as nice as you please I wish you could drop in a few minutes and see us But not to stay long—I was sorry Last night for A lady Lt Stars wife who has ben hear some 3 weeks and Boarded with us while I was boarding She was intending to go home in a day or so and when the word came she was standing by the Gate with tears in her eys I thought how much harder that was than to part at home as we did—I got a letter from Charles yesterday he Says he is no beter and is sure he shall be discharged I hope he will and if he is and gets his money you see and Get it and see that he dont fool it away his father will get hold of it if he can But Charles honestly owes us some and we need all we can get for we do not no what will turn up I shall write to Charles tomorrow or this afternoon—I hope you will See Potter and Get 20 dollars of him and if there is any Man about him he will Pay it for it is about half Borrowed money. I expect you will Lecture me for writing so often to you but if it Bothers you to much say so and I will hold up But I cannot hear from you to often there is a good deal of excitement hear about maters and I Recon there is some there I wish you would/a paper ocasionally there is no trouble in my geting them now I sent you a couple the other day Cleveland news is very greadily Recd hear now By all—We are guarding a Road Leading to Memphis how long we shall stay We cant tell and I dont care Camp life is splendid this time of year the nights are lovely Cool and pleasant and I would sooner sleep in the tent on my old cot than any Bed I ever saw (if I had you & pet with me) Well hear come a load of watermellons and I guess I will get a taste for Richardson has started to meet the team he is on hand when there is any eating going on always Well the mellon is hear cost a 1/2 Dollar—Our cavelry had a fight out about 3 or 4 miles from hear last evening they Brought in 4 or 5 woundid But some way fighting dont seem to Bother me a particle But I have no idea we shall have any fighting in this direction for a lon time But I must Begin to close this Letter for it will soon be dress parade and then it will be to late to send it You must write to me as often as you get time and Be of good cheer Give yourself no uneasiness about me in any way for I will look well to No One tell Pet to be a good Boy and kiss ma for Pa tell him Pa is off to war But will come home and stay with Baby and get him a little Pony if Charles comes home Be careful how you let him take him out for fear some accident might Befall him

 

Give my love to all     I have got a  thundering sore mouth I cant tell what ales it I supose it is the Water it’s a kind of canker

 

Well my dear while writing the mail has come Bringing me 2 letters one from you and one from Bro Charles

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