May the 18 I beleave 1864

 

                        Dear Susan will try an write you a fu lins though I dont no whether I will get to write a nuf to send of or not as we are on a retreatt I am well at this time with the exception of a veary bad Bile over my left Ie though it is beter to day than it have ben in 5 or 6 days the health of the co is veary good we had 2 wonded W J Osbun B A Tredwell

 

Treadwell veary Slitley in the Arme Osbun through the calf of the leag no bones broken I am in hops that this lins may find you well and the Childre and all the rest Susan I dont no what to write I dont no whear we will try to mak another stand though I expect at Kingstown when you write/derect to Dalton and I will be apt to get the leter

 

we have had a heap of hard fiten for the 10 day and have lost a heap of men and kild a heap of yankes though tha too meney for us while we fite a large armey of them thare is another a flanking of us I think we cold have stud our hand with them at Dalton if tha had onley had staid thare and fout us though tha are too smart for that I have no Idey how meny men we did loose in all the fites though I no we lost a man man a heap of them I think that we kild and wonded as many of them as we lost though tha beat us taken prisners I will have to quit for it is a goin to rain and that quick  W A Stephens

SOURCES