Tullahoma Ten

                                                                                                            May 26^th 1865 [1863]

 

Dear Maggie               Priar and four others of the Camp will be sent off in the morning to Limestone County Ala for the purpose of arresting and bringing back some negroes who ran away from this place to their homes from which they had been conscripted to work on the fortifications at this place and the Captain gives him leave to go or come by home and I thought this the quickest and surest way of getting you word from me I have just returned from the Hospital at Dalton Ga I wrote to you yesterday by mail in which I gave you full particulars of my trip down there and the kind of fare I had I have returned well able for duty. after one month of punying I went to the hospital on the 4 and returned on the 24^th of May. Priar will send this over to Alf’s the next day after he gets home & Alf. I hope will send it to you immediately. I was very sory that I did not get to see Alf. And eat more of those good things which he brought. I got back in time to get one mess of the eggs, and several messes of the butter and we have some of the fruit yet. I have been in the fire ever since I came back from the/hospital knowing that Alf. would tell you that I had gone to the hospital and you would be so uneasy about me. I hope you will get this letter soon so that your fears about me will be relieved, I was not much sick at all and did not intend going to Dalton but the Surgeon would have me go. I have no news of importance to write you. Bragg is sending a great many of his troops off from here to Miss to reinforce Johnston. Johnston has been in a very precarious situation, but hopes of his ultimate success are brightening. It is firmly believed by all that Johnston will finally demoralize Grant’s Army. in his repulse before Vicksburg he (Grant) lost 10,000 men and Johnston is Crossing troops over the Big Black to the Vicksburg Side in Grant’s rear.

 

All quiet here no probability of a fight soon if at all here. Bragg is still fortifing here rapidly, has one very formidable fort on an elevation about two hundred yards from our Camp, & is almost completed and being well mounted with large seige guns. Gum is at the Bell Hospital Rome Ga and is improving, he will be detailed as a regular police guard in consequence of not being able to do other duty. I wish he was in our Company. we have the finest time of any body and but little to do---/I was glad to get your letter when I got back, you said I would say thankee, yes I do say thankee but it was not because you quit writing, I say thankee because it was as long as it was, you cannot imagine how glad I am to get letters from you, and how eager I wait upon the mails Oh! I wish I could get one from you every day, and I would have them all as long as the last one you wrote me. I am glad to get you Pa’s letter & gladder still he wrote to you, you will believe me now when I tell you he has not forgotten you wont you? I wish I could see Sis Mary teaching School. Vallandingham of Ohio has been sentenced by a decision of court martial to banishment to the land of Dixie until the war is over, he has just arrived through our lines at Shelbyville and permitted by our authorities to claim the hospitalities due on exile, banished from his home because he would not bow to the iron rule of an abolition despot. I have just returned from grazing my mare. A detachment of the Company have been out in the Country grazing part of the horses for two or three weeks. They took mine She looks very well. I could sell her for two hundred dollars. inclosed in this letter you will find the Chattanoogee Rebel if Priar does not fail to/to get off and if he does I will send it by mail I forgot to tell you in my letters before this that I had quit using tobacco and am benefitted by it as it is worth two dollars per plug Tell Mary Brookshire that I saw Authur Johnson at Dalton Ga he came in there from unionville the day I left with camp fever bad off. I must close as it is night and Roll will betides write soon give me all the news & pray for me

                                                                        Will

SOURCES