Camp at Jackson Tenn

                                                                                                                        Jan 20^th 1863

 

            Dear Fanny

                                    It is a wet unpleasant day and I am about half sick with a cold so that I am off duty for the time being. for the last week or so we have had some very unpleasant weather. it commenced storming on the night of the thirteenth and has either rained or snowed almost every day since. on the fifteenth and sixteenth the snow laid on the ground about four inches deep and it was cold as we could wish for. we all suffered more or less as we were so poorly prepared for such weather. our tents are only one thickness of canvass and we have no stoves so that we have to manage to keep warm my duties are such that I have to be out in all kinds of weather, and the exposure during those stormy days I suppose gave me this cold as I was wet through most of the time. but I shall be all right again in a few days I guess. We have had the most snow here this winter that they have had for several years and I expect the next time I hear from you you will be all buried up if our storms here are any indication of what you are having there.

 

            The health of our Reg^mt is not very good at present. we started from Oshkosh with 986 able men for duty. and to day I dont believe we can muster / over 475 men for duty. we have been in no fight nor have we lost by death so many, but the men have been marched to death or in other words, all worn out with hard fare and forced marches. if we had a comfortable quarters and could lay still a week or two I think our sick list would greatly diminish but under the present state of things there is about as many getting sick as the Surgeons are cureing so that it keeps their hands full all the time

 

            We have a report that we are going back to Memphis in the course of a week or two. how true it may prove I cant say. I presume though that if we do go to Memphis we shall be ordered down the river to Vicksburg. I suppose they will not be able to do any thing until the 32^nd gets there and leads the way. I dont believe that the 32^nd will ever bring a disgrace upon the State if they ever get into a fight for I know that a good many of our boys are as brave and true as ever shouldered the musket and if they have half a chance they will make their mark.

 

            I have a great mind to get mad at U. S. mail arangements. I have not received a letter since those old ones which I wrote you about before but I guess that the best way will be to keep patient for I may get a letter some time or other. but Fanny the Post Master has called for the mail & I must close and make up for this dificiency some other time. please give my love to all your people and accept much yourself

 

                                                                                                            yours affectionately

                                                                                                                        Frank M G

 

P. S. Glen sends his best respects

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