my writeing fixens i keep in my knapsack and we left them at our camp in charge of some sick men so i could not write any untill now. we returned to our camp this morning at 7 oclock ate our breakfast then went to the river and took a good wash and we neaded it to if ever a set of men did for it is verry hot and dry and the dust was 3 inches deap half way and our clothes would get wet with swet and the dust raise so that some times we could not 2 rods and some times i could not see 3 ft for the swet made my eyes smart so and some times half full of dust 

 

the report was that there was a lot of rebbels come back to Holly Springs some of our had taken the place once and left it it is a beautiful town some verry large springs and lots of fine buildings with magnifficent front yards filed with large evergreen trees. well there was some rebbels there but some how they got wind of us coming and skedadled good for them that they left for we had the most of our brigade and there is 4 reg of infantry and a reg of cavelery and a good artilery batry of cannon under gen McDaniel and Hulberts division and it takes several brigades to make a division we are in Shermans division and this army is under gen Hallock. well we campt near the town a few days got short of rations kiled lots of hogs and some fat cattle went out with wagons and demanded and took 20 barrels of molasses and several thousand lbs of bacon of the rebbel planters and lots of corn for our mules and burned thousands of bushels of it when we left. well i was happy to receive a letter from you once more it was June 16. you sayed you had received $10 dollars i have sent $40 since the battle of Shiloh / maby i had better express the next that i draw. well i will see maby i will hear from the rest that i sent you may get it all O my dear Ruth i thank you for that nice little heart and hand i will fetch it home with me and the kiss how sweet but if i was there to kiss the little fat chub O Ruth you have my prayers for your health and preservation O pray god speed the time for my return to a loving wife and lovly children have patcients i will return as soon as i can if my life is spaired i herd a methodist sermon yesterday while on gard it in the woods and seamed like camp meeting

 

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write ofton pray much for me

i ges we will start for Memphus in the

morning. John G Scoville to Ruth Scoville and sweet affectionate children

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