Mar 20^th 1864

Camp Wauhatchie

 

Dear Cousin,

                        I will again try and scribble a few lines to you this sunday morning. In the first place as it is the fashion in letter writing I will say that I am well and hearty as a buck. all the boys are in fine spirits and enjoying themselves finely. we have a camp near the foot of lookout Mountain between the Chattanooga and Nashville railroad and the Chattanooga and Trenton railroad in the woods.

 

The weather is clear and cool with a good deal of wind. We have built log shanties and covered them with our pup tents. six of us stay in a cabbin our cabbin is eight by ten feet square and about four feet high. most of us have built fireplaces to our tents. if it is as / cool in porpotion in ohio as it is down here it must be pretty winterish. We now belong to the first Brigade first division of the eleventh Army corps commanded by General Howard. he has but one arm his right arm was shot off at the battle of Chancellorsville. he is a pleasant looking man and is strictly temperate and religeous if he hears any of his men swearing he will put them in the guard house for it. our Brigade commander is Colonel Harison of the 70^th Ind. and a grand son of President Harrison. Gen Ward is commanding the division.

 

Well Milt how are you getting along anyhow. I expect that you have got so big that you think yourself a man by this time and I expect you are especialy about sunday nights.

 

(I have to change my ink)

 

I want you to raise a good lot / of garden stuff this year, such as onions potatoes and cabbage. I dont expect to be at home to help you eat them but if I am where I can get boxes next winter I may send for some crout and onions. I can keep up with any dutchman you ever saw eating crout. Alex says that sally throwd you, what does that mean. if them young ladies finds that out they will make fun of you. how does Alvin get along riding fan out sunday evenings? What kind of times do you all have any how? have you been to any shugar camps this spring. I should like to be there and go with you to some camp and roast potatoes and chickens.

 

Milt, Shannen hunt and Dave stewart have enlisted in our company. hunt is getting tired of it and we make fun of him for getting home sick. / Hunt thinks that the 79^th puts on too much stile for him. he thinks the army is not the place for blacking and white gloves. it does look rather styleish but such strict officers and little things as that has made this a fine regiment.

 

Well Milton I believe I have scribbled all I can think of this time. what I have written is so poor that I am afraid you cant read it. I will close for this time.

 

Yours Respectfully.

W^m H Bone. To J M Dill.

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