1862

                                                                                                                        May 3

Dear sister

I seat my self to Drop you a few lines which will inform you that we are all well at present and hope these lines may find you all enjoying the same blessing Mary we have been fighting 8 days and some in the night we got one man wounded the first Day none since they have been several of them forcd Down by shell but none hurt we have lost severel in the/Regiment I recon we have lost 250 killed wounded and missing we have run the yankeys to their gun boats now we are going to leave here I cant tell where we will go from here I hope we will go to Tenn Mary I hant got much to write to you if I coud see you I could tell you a heap I have walked over and a round dead men untill I Dont mind it atal I recon they 500 on this field now not buried a bout a mile from here they are as many more not buried on the first battle field we stayed 3 nights and two days it become very offenceive before we left it so many Dead horses and men it will take 3 or 4 Days to bury the Dead the most of our/men are buried now but they lots of yankeys yet well to change the subject I havent seen my napsack in over a week I am the Dirtest felowe you ever saw I recon we had to wade the Dust half shoe mouth Deep and sleep in it being wet with swet we turned the coler of the Dust and no soap to wash liveing on crackers we are 25 miles from our napsacks now my bible was so large I had to leave it but I got a yankey testament and kept it we have got lots from them we got over 200 horses and guns enough to arm the balance of the men in the southern confederacy springfield muskets and rifles and every kind of gun you could mention one place we got 4 wagon loads of ammunition/

 

well Mary we are nearly ready to start some where now and I must hasten I would have writin sooner but I have not had the chance to write we are nearly worn out traveling so much and so hard I hope we will get to rest some now before we have to fight any more you must write as soon as you get this Direct your letter to Richmond Lawtons Brigade and it will come to me whare ever we are we have no I Dea where we will go we have to guess and wait and find out Mary I have had an other very bad rising on my right hand but it is geting well now you must excuse these lines I am in a hurry I have to start soon give my Love to all and receive a Large portion for your self nothing more at present I remain your Brother till Death           John W. Hodnett         

 

Ps Tell susan I will write to her soon the Boys from that settlement are all well

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