Memphis Tennesee

                                                                                                                        Dec 21^st 1862

 

Dear Wife

                        This is Monday I did not write aletter yesterday as I agreed to the reason was that after dinner I intended to write but there was an alarm raised that the Guerillas were going to make an attack on the city we were called out in the park in front of the prison we stayed out there until dark without our suppers some of us were ordered to go and get supper tom savage and me went to get supper Capt Harris came up in afew minutes and ordered every man out on the park again we had to go out again afew minutes later I went up and got some bread and meat we then went out of the city about amile and a half and watched until day light but no Guerillas appeared there was one order given you shall see how verry consistant it was / there was about seventy five of us out alltogether watching that road while others were guarding other roads into the city the force that we expected was about eight hundred cavalry our orders were to fire at them and then retreat down a plain road to the gun boats about amile and ahalf that order was countermanded just think 75 men in opposition to eight hundred cavalry to retreat down aplain road amile and ahalf what foolishness every one of us in case of an attack would have been killed or taken prisoner we had no idea of doing any such thing we would have emptied some saddles and then every man for himself I have quit staying in the hospital it is too hard on me I was there thirty days the head surgeon did not want to give me adischarge from the hospital he said when they got good nurses they wanted to keep them I told him I would not stay any longer as the cords of my legs were sore running up and down the stairs I was verry much disappointed last saturday I expected to [?] Capt Colby / he had aleave of absence for thirty days I had my papers signed by Col Matting he is now in command of the regiment it had to be signed by the General he would not sign it and that put an end to the matter I would like to have been home to spend the holidays I suppose it is all right You wanted to know how I am satisfied I say this that aman that has

 

                                                                        I had

agood home agood wife and alovely child such as Eddy is afool to come to the army if I was out of the service and knew what I do now I would stay at home I am very well clothed now I bought anice pair of pants of Capt Colby for two dollars we have plenty to eat now better than there is at the hospital I wish you would send me the Greenville Advocate every week and when Capt Colby comes back send me acouple pounds smoking tobacco Savage just got here on the 20^th he was detained at St Louis as aprisoner You may expect to hear of the fall of Vicksburg soon as there was from thirty to thirty six thousand men left here Saturday and Sunday for Vicksburg and about fifty thousand left Helena for the same place / the guerrillas captured 18 teams belonging to Col Fondas regiment last week Col Niles is now under arrest the circumstance around which he was arrested is this he was occupying alarge building one of the Iowa Colonels came to him and told him to vacate the premises in half an hour he paid no attention to the demand they went to the General the general told them to compromise they were talking about it Col Niles proposed giving up all but three rooms Iowa Col said he would have it all he would take it by force Niles told him he would have adamned regiment to take and ordered a Lieutenant to call his men into line Iowa Col turned round to Niles and says what is that you damned scoundrel take that sword off and consider yourself under arrest Niles had to do so as the Iowa Col was asenior Col to him that is an older Col How do you think you would like atrip to Memphis distance of five hundred and thirty five miles to see me It do me good to see you and Eddy soon but I have no hopes of afurlough soon if you want to when I send you money you may come if you like Nothing more Write soon your affectionate Husband

until death       H. B. Drake                 M. E. Drake

 

[?] for me tell ma I am all right

 

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I will send you my dogtype and hair soon dont forget to send yours and Eddys

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