Chattenooga Tenn.

                                                                                                                        Dec. 2^nd /63

 

Dear Frank

                        This is a nice sunshiney day and I cannot content myself out of doors. I want to go out of Camp so bad but cannot get a pass And then I have a kettle of hull corn to cook and I concluded to send a few lines to you while I am tending the cooking of the homminy. I suppose the papers are full of interesting news from all parts of the Army if you could see the thousands of poor Geacey Grays that are constantly comeing in to this place you would conclude as I do That the Federacy is going out pretty fast. At any rate it is “Conciderably played” /

 

Thare was an order come from the front last night to prepare for three thousand of Longstreets men that had been captured on their retreat from Knoxville I am now anxious to hear from the Potomac if the rebs get whiped thare I do not see how they can hold out any longer. Yesterday was a great day in the Camp of the 14^th Army Corps It was general review by gen. Grant and Staff besides all the rest of the big Generals. It was a great sight to behold but rather hard on the poor Soldier that had to keep in position and march through the mud for four long hours. The Generals all looked well pleased especialy Thomas. A soldier in looking at Thomas looks into a face that satisfise him at once that he will do. /

 

Our wounded are getting along very well Hoysington’s uncle is doing well so far with out having to take his foot off Gillmore is alive yet but such an awful looking sight his mouth and under jaw on the right side is all shot away. Louthan’s shoulder is doing well. he did not go to the Hospital but stays in quarters My corn is done now if I had a crock of good milk it would go about right. but I can only pick up a piece of salty pork and fry it for the gravy and then fry the corn The pork is a chunk I got several days before the fight I fried some of it but could not eat it and I put the rest under the bords of my bunk. now I have got it out and scraped it and with some par boiling I can get some gravy for my corn. we got no pork with our last rations /

 

My writing all takes me by spells now I have got lots of paper and Envellopes and I want to be writing all the time. but Stamps cannot be got here at all. I wish you would send me a few evry time you write. Now I will halt till I make some coffe and eat some Hominy;—I am now as full as iff I had feasted on the greatest dinner that ever wa got up So you see it makes no difference what a man fills up with

 

Thare is some talk of getting up a Vetran Corp of Volenteers from the Old regiments. If thare is an opportunity and they will accept me I am in of course for I might as well be in the army as any whare els I have just so hard a time and so much complaining any how If I volenteer again it will be for the money I suppose Tiff has a good time that was the best thing he ever done I wish him success. you must write very soon

                                    J F P.                                                               E A Chap

SOURCES