Headquarters 8^th Regt.,                                                           Camp Curtice Co. F

                                                                                                            January the 12 1862

 

Dear Sister I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present hoping those few lines may find you in good health I have not heard from you for a few days and as I thought that this may be the last time that I will have a chance to write to you I thought I woud write to morrow at 11 oclock A M we will start for Caro or paducha and it / may be that we will be in the fight that is going of at columbus and in fact all over the south ther is a General moove to be General Halick is going down the Missisippi while Mcclelan is goin to moove on the patomick this may be the last letter you will hear from John for he will have to stand his chance with the rest of the boys be thou comforet Sister for the battle must be fought the 8 is all that will leave this camp the 11 will remain her the boys is geting well drilled and long for dixie land and some of them may meet with their last fate but let it come I repeat it let it come we ar prepare to fall now as ever we will be let what come that will I mean to stand to it the war must come to a close / and the wisconsin boys enlisted to fight and we think that there will be a chance to try ther spunk Matilda you may think I am crazy for writing stuch stuff but I think it is true that there is no better boys than the 8 Wisconsin boys I have not time to write much for I have to fix for the expidition that is going on yesterday we had a fine battalion drill ten company all together for the first time they have bin together for one month to morrow we leave this place nex sabbath we some of us may have our lines taken by a cannon ball John s sh I heard that you had caugh a young rich

 

I must come to a close so

Farewell Sister give my love to

all the friends and keep a lump

for your self /

 

write soon direct as be

fore

                        yours faithefuly

                                    John W Shell

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