Thursday morning Sept 3^rd 1863

 

My Dear wife

                        I take this oportunity to write a few lines to let you know where and how I am we have been marching nearly all the time since I wrote last and are now about 150 miles from Cumberland gap and about 90 miles from Knoxville and I suppose about 25 miles from Chattanooga we are on the Hiwassee river near where it empties into the Tennessee I think from all the indications that we are on the eve of a big fight near this place but I may be mistaken but there is one thing I am not mistaken in and that is that we have given up all Tennessee north of the river and cumberland Gap included I know no cause for it for I am sure we could have held it if we had remained there but perhaps the yanks might have got in below us and stared us out / we have marched 125 miles in the last ten days and are very much fatigued and suffered gooddeal generally our ratiens have been short and water has been scarce and the dust has been awful there has been three Brigades of us all on the march togather which makes a continues string of men and waggons for about ten miles so you can immagin what they rase in such a dry time as this my general health is not quite as good as it usually is but I have been able to keep up for the las since I returned to the company there is several of the boys complaining. remember me to the children one and all

 

Direct your letters to Ben Mason

                                    Camp A 1^st Batt Ala Legion

                                    Gracies Brigade Buckners

                                    Corps Army of Tenn

we have no Po office

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