Nashville Feb 18^th 1863

 

                                                                                                                        Dear Sister

I take this opportunity to let you know that I am well and hope these few will find you the same I received your letter last Thursday and was very glad to hear that you was well. you say you have such an easy winter there. we havent any winter here at all at least I wouldent call it any winter but the citesens citizens call it a very hard winter and make an awful fuss when it snows a little it has been regular April only we have more rain it rains about six days in a weak on an average that is a curious kind of coffee that Jimmy had to drink we have allways had plenty of coffee when we had nothing els we have coffee three times a day that was our principal diet for awhile you say Jimmy pitys me if I have as hard times as they do where he is I dont know what kind of times they have there but I am very well satisfied with/ this batery. I am canoneere and have nothing to do but stand guard every forth or fifth night, unless some of the drivers is sick or away then I have to take my turn tending to his team. all the drivers has to do is to tend one team and stand guard his regular turn. I dont think that is very hard do you we have a darky cook hired we pay him 50 cts a month apiece before we hired the cook the canoneers had to cook for the squad there is eight of us our turn would come every eighth day. I guess Jim never marched much packing his knapsack cartridge box Gun canteen and three days rations in his haversack through the dust where you couldent see three rods ahead of you and drink worse water than you ever saw as I have done or he wouldent think a battery very hard where you dont have to cary any thing but yourself and then you can ride nearly half of the time. you say you thought I dident have to stand guard soldiers all have to stand guard unless it is a/ commishioned Officer. I dont see how Jimmy gets out of it. George Jones is about to get his discharge. there has been some twenty five or thirty got there discharge in our company in the regt and lots more putting forth there best efforts to get theirs I am getting fat soldering I have gained twenty lbs since I enlisted I weigh 162^lbs now that is doing pretty well aint it bye the way I got a letter from Jimmy the other day it was writen the 5^th of the month he said they was all well at that time he said they had lots of fun and the time passed off prety fast. I allmost wish I was there for there is so many there that I know here there aint any body that I knew before I enlisted but would rather be at home

 

Oh Lawsy massy has Tatty got a man at last. he must be a brave one but I am sory to hear of the old log hut burning down the Govener will have to make a draw on his old purse/ to build a new one. where does that Luce live or where did he come from. Well I dont know what else to write. I like to get letters from you or any one there for it is interesting but it is hard work for me to answer them for I have nothing to write that will interest you. I dont think you write half enough of what is a going on but I suppose you dont think it worth while but the least news is better than none. I havent heard from dan for a good while I guess he has give up writing well Sarah I guess he has a hard time getting along for it would have been hard enough if he had good health all the time

 

give my best respects to all the neighbors friends and relations

 

no more at present write soon and tell me all the news and if they aint any make some

direct the same as before

 

from your sincere Brother A. Dickson

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