May the 18^th 1864

Chatanooga Tenn.

 

Dear Wife I take up my pen this evening to write you afew lines to let you know that I have felt well ever since I saw you & hoping these lines may find you all well I was sick that morning I left & the next morning I thought I wouldent be able to travail but at 4 PM I left Stlouis I got some medicine in Stlouis & it helped me & I have been mending ever since I got to Louisville just at sunrise & lay over all day & left there at sundown & next morning arived at nashville I left there at 11 AM & arrived at Stevenson at 2 oclock that night & I left there next day Sunday at 2 PM I got here that evening I have been here ever since I reported to all the department headquarters / as I came through & here I wasent allowed to go any furthur because I had no arms I fear I will not be allowed to go to my regment for some for some time I fear I will be sent somewhere else I am now in the Convalescent camp I have nothing to do as yet there are a bout one thousand of us here all that is going to there regments that has no arms are not allowed to go any furthur those that have there arms are sent on more keeps comeing in all the time to day 200 that had no arms was sent off from here I dont think they were sent to their regments I think they will arm us & organize us in to regments & send us to the field I had rather go to my regment but I have learned to obey orders I havent saw any body that I knew since I saw you but I am with some very good men there / are men here from all parts & we are at home we have tents & draw rations ever day cook & eat & talk about the battles we have been in & pass the time first rate all is peaceable in camp we are in companies & have our officers. there is fighting going on at the front all the time the rebs keeps falling back our wounded are being sent here ever day I havent heard from my regment yet but I guess they have been fighting the 15^th army corps was fighting day before yestarday so I learned no particklars So I will have to close for we have just got orders to march but I hope to write again soon as ever yours  Josiah Bradford

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