Nashville Feb 6^th A.D. 1863.

 

                                                                                                            Dear Cousin Marion

            I guess that I will endeavor to write you a few lines in answer to your very kind & wellcome favor which came to hand a few days ago. I expect you will begin to think pretty soon that I have forgotten my kind friends in Wisconsin. Well I’ll tell you why I dident write sooner and I think you will consider it a good excuse. It was because I dident get your letter in time to answer any sooner. Your letter was over a month in reaching me so that will account for you not hearing from me sooner.

 

            Well things are moving on about as usual down here. Nothing of any particular importance/ is being transacted and yet I need not say that for we only garrison the post of Nashville. Out-side of it in this department Gen. Rosecrans is making the most gigantic prepparations for an early campain against Gen Joe Johnson who is now in command of the rebs. in the South West. Large reinforcements are & have been comeing in and now we are under marching orders but I have no idea that we will leave here any ways soon I think the orders will be countermanded. The army is slowly advancing and as soon as the weather will permit I think you will hear good news from our department. We have the very best of Generals & a splendid army well equiped. Under such a commander as our beloved/ Rosecrans I think this army almost invincible. All we want is to be led forward and will show our deeds. Almost any other Gen. excep Rosecrans would have yielded the victory to the Rebs at Murfreesboro but he said that he was determined to take the place let it cost what it would. At a council of war held at the end of the second day several of the Generals advised a retreat as our army was almost surrounded and entirely out of provisions. But Rosecrans was not to be baffled in that sort of a way. He said he had come to Murfreesboro to take it and that should be done and as provisions were gone with him as well as with the soldiers he and they could live on horse flesh & corn for a while yet, and the did so/

We reached there about three hours after the battle closed and would have been there before it closed only we had a brisk fight with the rebels befor we got there which delayed us a good while. I got word from home that I was wounded in that engagement but I don’t believe it. We have now been in and about Nashville for four months and I am beginning to get a little weary of the place but taking all things into consideration I believe it will be pleasenter and easier staying here this summer than to be out in front.

 

            I just looked out the window a moment ago & saw three men at work under guard for taking french furloughs & going home They have to work six days, loose all of one months pay & are not allowed outside of the camp for thirty days We put one fellow in the penitentiary for the same offense But none of our Company has ever been punished yet. Ed Willson is on his way home now on a French. I don’t know how he will make it. Peter Clinton & Ive Householder/

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