Nashvill March 26eth 1863

 

Brother Ira

                                                                                    I received your letter Some days ago I was glad to hear at that time from home for I had not received a letter for so long from home that I began to git alarmed I surpose your letters if you wrote any must have been capturd there was quite a number of mailes capturd abut before the batle of stone river and after words but now that I can git good paper and have a god place to write I am writeing half of the time there is a general engagement expected by a good many here very soon and report says that the rebils are receiveing reinforsements very fast but our boys are ready for them our soldiers have been fortifing around Murfreesboro every one says it is very strongly fortified it was very strongly fortified when I left it and they have been to work on them ever since Rosancrance has not got as many men as I wish/ he had for if by any unexpected movement we should have to fall back we should labor under a disadvantage but we do not intend to have to fall back unless they should get a large army in kentucky again and then there is men enough in other places that might be brought to bar on them the rebils made a raid yesterday out side of our extreme right wing and came around in our rear and atackted 300 hundread men at a bridg the rebils were all mounted part cavelry and part mounted infentry there was five thousand of them they char they capturd the men at the bridg with all their train but later in the day our troops recapturd the train but could not hold it so they dis troid it when our reinforsements came up the rebils left double quick but we have not got the ful acount of it yet some of the rebils came within 4 miles of this town it is said it is said they comscripted presed every man they came to/

 

I can not see how the citizens are going to live here every thing is very high here now and the comander of the post has published an order that every thing would be confiscated that was brought here either on cars or boats except one car each day aloted to the adams express company that did not belong to goverment this town cant live on one car load of provisions a day very long I guess however I have but litle sympithy for them yet there is goverment rationes here enough to keep a large army for six months. I wish you would send me a paper with the acount of the election of town oficers this year the army here is deadseat against any pease meashure that will reflect any disoner on to them they would sooner every one of them die in the field of batle than shuch a disgrace but I must close write as soon as you can direct the same as you did before to hospital No. 8. please excuse all mistakes if I should leave here I will write you if I am not here my letters will be sent right to the regiment whare I am                 George Colby

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