Camp No 4 Tenn

May 12^th..62

 

Dear and much love loved wife and Children and friends I write to you again the reason that i have not written more since the battle was not because i did not want to but i could not get materials untill now we have just been paid off and the suttlers have things to sell now but it is but little of my money that they will get tobacco and writeing fixens i must have. we are marching to corrinth sloly we left the old battle field at camp Shiloh Apr 29 and have not moved more than 15 / milds. well it is morning before day but we must forme line of battle early every morning my health is much better than it was when i last wrote O dear Ruth how i wish these lines may reach you in good health i think the war will soon play out and let us all go to respective homes and love ones there would to god i could start this blessed morning i would thank my redeamer for my life and make tracks fast for Pittsburg landing whare the trees are cut are cut to peaces for 5 milds long and 3 milds wide but we expect daily to have a larger battle than that was but i have / no perticular anciety to see another scene of human distruction like that well dearest and affectionate Companion i stated in the last letter that i thought i would come home soon, i then thought that my health would soon be so poor that i could get an honorable discharge my health is poor enough yet but i am able for duty part of the time. tonight i go on piqet gard ½ mild in front of our line of battle we ar in gen Shermans brigade a [?] brigade only 3 or more reg our battle line is 15 milds long one reg chuck to the end of the other and lots of artilery and caveldry in our rear some of our seage guns are drawn / by 10 large horses and others by 8, 6, and 4. some of the heavy cannon are drawn from the boat landing by 20 yoke of oxen. we move rite through the timber, make oure roads and bridges 3 or 4 milds then move up and make brest works of large logs and durt we are readey for battle in 4 hours after we stop then put up our tents and eat our scanty alowance, carry our watter some times a mild and then maby undyed up wattering mules, or soapy by washing in it. well the sleep in the mud or or rain i would not mind so much if i could get some fit fit for a sick soldier to eat O Ruth the life of a private is hard he is in bondage but some of our comrades are at rest

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