January the 7^th 1864

McMinnsville, Ten

 

My Dear Wife I take my pen in hand to let you no that I am well only sore from walking we just returnd from a scout and we are all tierd and tha say we hav to start to Murfreesboro to morrow morning this leavs us all well onley tierd from our trip and I truley hope those scrabling lins will reach you all in due time and find you all well and a doing well

 

I hav nothing strang to rite helth is good in our regt at this time we hav coald wether hear the ground is coverd with snow and it is a snowing now and is cold hear / the sitzons says that tha hav coldr wether now then tha hav had for sevrel year we dont hav so mutch coald wind hear like you hav thare but I suffer a bout as mutch with coald hear as I did thare well we hav seen the commencement of a nother year and hav not seen the end of this ware but I hop and trust that the ware will be over before this year ends and we will be at home with our beloved fameleys to help take care of them from Olde Jeff procklemation I think he is a bout plade out he says he will lay all of thare defeet before the hous and let them do as tha see proper he is willing to let them say whether tha will be for ware or not / we hear that tha hav run a draft thare If tha hav let me no hoo had to go for I think tha are no better then us that has past the boomeing cannon and heard the crys of the wounded let them come out and if tha cant hav the face to volunteer let them trembel in thare boots and be made face the roaring cannon if tha are needed thare livs is no better to them then ours is to us rite and let mee no all how you get a long I rote for you to sell the stears if you cold get one hunderd dollars for them if you hant soald them I think you had better keep them for to hall your woode / one repoart came that the snow was three feet deep thare and another 18 inches deep and one too feete deep and you no I am oneasy a bout you all and I want you to rite and let me no how you are a getting your woode keep the cattel for to hall your woode I think that is the best this is my advise

 

write as soon as you can and let me no how emelys eyes is a getting I will

 

Close for this time write soon

J. W. Sanders

R. A. Sanders

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