[Letterhead: Headquarters, Military Division of the Mississippi,

Office Provost Marshal General,]

                                                                        [Nashville, Tenn.,] Octr 28^th [1864.]

 

Dear brother.—

                        Your letter of the 20^th has thrown cold water on my hopes of seing you soon, for with the business of the approaching Holydays you will not find it convenient to come & previous to that time, I fear the bad weather here (liable at the season) will prevent your coming.—I presume you got mother’s letter in due time.—I mailed a long letter to her & one to sister Kate yesterday.—I want to bother you a little on my own account.—I am informed, that Stoves are very high at the North & a good Cooking Stove is worth $100⁰ & over. I don’t much believe it; should however be any truth in it, will you please have my stove hauled up from the cellar, put in selling order and see what you can get for it?—Sarah paid about $15⁰ for it, I think; if it will bring anything like a profit, it better be sold, than lay idle. It is in good condition & has been but little used.—I risk the price of Stoves by the time I go housekeeping again.—Were it not, that Sarah’s whereabouts is so far in a different direction, I would come to Rockford to vote & the same time, what is of/more consequence to me, take my bureau & contents in hand & give the Linen & Clothes an airing.—Would it not be well to put some Camphor Gum in the drawer, to prevent any injury by moths?—

 

            Am glad to hear of T. Cole’s improvement;—hope, he will be able to save the arm to the best advantage.—I have not received a Rockford Paper in all of 3 months, I am sure. I thought you had ceased sending them;—might as well have done it, for all I got of them. It is singular that Woodruff gets his, regular every week;—but we are too far apart, to allow me to get the benefit of them without some trouble on his part, which he don’t take.

 

            Being in pretty good health,—my time well filled during business hours and doing the best I can in the evenings, I feel good natured & pretty well contented. The time slips away speedily, ‘though it looks a good long while ahead to count ten months yet before I am again a free man.—Much love to Lona.—

 

            Write whenever you have time & inclination.—

                                                Affectionately

                                                            Your brother

                                                                        Edward.

SOURCES