Murfreesboro Tenn

Mar April the 17/63

 

Friend William, I have just received a letter from you and now hasten to answer it. I was glad to hear from you for I had begun to think that you was dead for I have wrote to you so often and received no answer. I had made up my mind to write to your Father to try to find out where you was but as I have received this letter from you it will save me that troubel. I am sorry to hear that your health is so poor but hope it may be better ere you get this my health is good now but it has been very poor a great part of the time since I parted with you. I have had some good times since I seen you and some very hard times. I do not know how soon we will have a big fight here for there is a powerful Rebel army in front of us. our Pickets has had several/ skirmishes lately but we are not alarmed for we have a powerful army hear under Gen Rosecrans. I am sorry that I could not send the money to you before but as I could not hear any thing from you I know it was of no use to send it for this is the first that I have heard from you since I left Louisville. I think the money I got of you was 85 cents but as I have not the change I will send you one dollar and am very thankful to you for it hopeing I will have a chance some time to bestow a favor on you. I am glad that you still put your trust in god. I will say to you go on be not turned away by wicked council or bad advice. I still try to live a Christian the more wickedness I see the more I am determined to serve god. I get a letter from my wife every week my folks are all well. W^m I must tell you of some of my troubels since I seen you. I suppose you remember that one of my brothers was killed at Peryvill / and on the 16^th of Dec my other brother that was in the army died at New Albany Ind it was a hard blow on me. and then on the 21^st of Feb my oldest brother died at home but I could willingly part with them if they have gone to a better world

 

 

I have no particular news to write this time but if you get this one write soon and let me know it then I will write you a longer letter

 

I ever remain your faithful friend

Harlow. H. Bowen

 

Adress    

Co. F. 10^th Regt Wis Vol

 

Murfreesboro

Tenn

 

will you excuse my poor writing this time

for I am a hurry to send it

                                    Write soon

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