[Letterhead: Headquarters, Military Division of the Mississippi,]

                                                                        [Nashville, Tenn.,] July 14^th [1864.]

 

My dear brother.—

                                    Your letter of the 5^th was detained by the imperfect direction on the Envelope, but reached me at last this morning.—I accept your congragulation with thanks,—though the only particular thing worthy of it, is the fact, that I got the position because the Officer wanted me. I have been here but a few days as yet, but the coinmencement augurs well for the future;—“stepping stones” for advancement are no more looked for or sought after by me; I am contend to remain as I have been, so that I can school myself to be satisfied and cheerful. I have as an agreeable a position, as I can well expect, having nothing but my merits to commend me, and that is of the least value in the Army;—‘though I must own, that Capt. Stockdale selected me for what he believes I possess of it.—My income from “all” sources in the military line is now $708⁰ pr year, out of which I board & cloth myself. At present I am doing both very cheap & live quite fair; of course you will keep this imparted knowledge strictly to yourself.—I have had quite a “drouth” in the/receipt of letters from friends generally for a week past including Sarah, from whom I have no later date than the 3^d; her brothers came home on purpose to take her about “visiting”, which accounts for the delay in writing.—

 

The “Democrat” has for some reasons stopped coming and I have not seen any local items from Rockford for two weeks and missed the accounts of the 4^th of July celebration & the record of casualities in the 74^th at the attack of Kenesaw Mountain.—Capt. Bacon is yet living but in critical position; he had yesterday a severe chill,—a bad sign. I saw him last evening while he was sleeping,—he rested evidently well;—nothing is left undone to save his life, if it can be done;—we look for his wife by every train.—Al Barker passed through here on his way to the front, this week, but I did not see him.

 

            Thomas Boyd instead of “turning up”, ought to be “turned under”; he is as bad, as he is mysterious;—I think if the truth were known here, the fact of a woman being mixed in, in his trip to California, would come to light.—

 

            You are at liberty to take anything among my traps, of any use to you; I have offered it once before and have not changed my mind. A pleasure/trip would be beneficial to you and I truly hope you will come this way; a pass is needed from Louisville to this point & whenever you want one, let me know and you shall have one;—so your surprise is “played out”,—only that much of it, as will inform me that you intend to come.—

 

            You must be free from ordinary cares and troubles of life, to be borrowing some and very unnecessary ones at that; whom do you owe borrowed money to?—A shark like the next door neighbor to your “hen coop”? or a skinflint of a country banker?,—who ever thinks to trouble you about it, but yourself? You are doing well, John and by being ever watchful and careful of keeping these long credit chaps away and buy cautious, you will yet fully enjoy the good fruits of the past labors and in good time pay off those dreadful money debts.—

 

            My sincere love to sister Lona; I enclose an Envelope for her especial use; a word to the wise &c &c.—

 

            Am as well as usual.—Your brother              Edward

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