Tiptonville Tennessee May 16^th 1862

            Mrs M E Keller

 

                                                                                                My deare wife I embrace

the present oportunity to write you a few more liens hoping your healthe has improved and that our little ons are all well as for my own healthe it is very good this is the second letter I have writen to you since I received your last it is very warme here at this time and dry we have at this time prety easy times we drill a bout two hours per day that is in the morning before breakfast whitch Colonel Slack says will give us a good apetite for breakfast. we are waiting anxiously for to heare the news from Corinth and Richmond how our armies are progressing at those places if we are cucsessfull the war will be speedely brought to a close deserters are coming in to our Camp almost evry day from the Rebel Camp ten or fifteen have come in since last eavning they say the Rebels are nearly starved out and the soldiers are deserting when ever they can get a chance to do so they apear to be joyfull as soon as they reach our camp we use them well /

 

I wrote to you in my last that I had some idea of trying to get home but coulde only get leave of absence for seven days and it woulde cost about forty or fifty dollars and it woulde take seven me about seven that maney days to go and come and I come to the conclusion I had better sende the money home for you to use and I think it will not be long untill we can all go home for at all events I must go home about the first of July you must take good care of your selfe if Ellen can not do the work get some girl that can do it let it cost what it will or if one is not sufficient get two. and how very mutch it woulde please me to see you all but it woulde be a severe trial for me to return again to the army I hope William and Sam are good Boys write to me how they conduct them selves if they are good boys or not and if Ella has almost forgoten me poor little Cate how sory I ame to heare she is afflicted with that sore I received a letter yesterday from Harter they are all well. I ame ever yours

                                                                                                Sam J Keller

 

N B direct Tiptonville Tennessee

                                    via Cairo

SOURCES