[Letterhead:Head Quarters,

Seventy-Fourth Reg.   Illinois Volunteers.]

[Co.] C [, Camp] Near Murfreesboro June 22^nd [1863.]

 

Dear Cousin

                                    your letter dated June 15^teenth was received and we were much pleased to hear from you you do not know how much it cheers us up to receive letters from our friends I have been quite unwell for about a week from loss of appetite and fever but am feeling better now we have been having warm weather here a long time wensday of last week/being the hottest day we have had or that I think I ever saw I think this is one of the finest countries I ever saw the land is owned by slaveholders who own large plantations corn & cotton fields surrounded by grand old forests of cedar oak & hickory they have splendid dwelling houses with all kinds of fruit & shade trees the peaches & plums are nearly ripe and apples are nearly half grown almost everything is different here from what they are north but for all that I shall always prefer the cold & chilly north to/the sunny south we have been having easier times since we came here than we did for the first three or four months but though we have endured many hardships & privations I have never regreted that I enlisted to fight for the union I may never survive to return home but if I fall on the field of battle I shall have the consolation of feeling that I could never die in a better cause I suppose Issac has written the rest of the news so I will close give my love to all the friends no more at present from your Cousin

William A Mellen

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