Camp at Knoxville Tenn Oct the 26/62

 

Dear Mother

            It has been some time since I had an opportunity of writing I understand the road is open from here home so I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know brother and myself is well I hope this will find you all the same we reached Knoxville day before yesterday from Kentucky we have been on the march two months marching from ten to twenty miles a day we have march in all about 5 or 6 hundred miles I never want to take another such a march when we left Chattanooga we marched about two weeks attacked the enimy at munfordsville Ken. captured 5000 of them and a great many comasey the next day we went on a march didnt hear from them any more until reached Bodstown we stoped there a week then they commensed advansing on us from Louisville we left Bodstown went on to Perivill, Kent. there we made a stand that night the pickets were fighting all night just before I waked up could hear volies of musketry 

 

our regiment was orderd to support a batery the shot and shell fell thick around about tenn oclk the fight commensed it was hard times until knight we drove them back 8 miles that evening an Indiana Reigt. and an Arkansas Reigt. went riding up to the Yank. Col stop firing you are firing on friends what Reigt. is that he says to Yank Col. it is the __ Indiana Reigt. our Col say well you stay there untill go and report you. the Yankee Col. says who are you, our Col. leve mind who I am. I will let you know. you stay there until I report you to our Col went on to his Reigt says boys, fire on that Reigt it is a Yankee Reigt. he killed and captured the last one of them at dark the fight seased next morning we set out on march again Genl. Wood. McClury was wounded also Bill Price he died next morning think / McClury will die if he is not dead by now. I dont know where we will go from here I hear we will either go to Huntsville or Murfreesboro I dont know which place we will go I think to Murfreesboro I expect brother will send Wesley home from here. I sent him over to him he wasnt doing me any good I bought a horse to send him when we were at Bodstown but couldnt get him off brother has my horse to I told him to send her home the first chance or sell her one I would rather get her home if I can she cost me $150 only four years old I reken you need a horse about home there get Uncle Chaley to rais me a horse not let him work her to hard if you can $200 for her sell her she is worth it she is a very pretty black mair. If you are not needing Primus about home I would like to get him cook Wesley didnt do any he was sick all the time we had to do our cooking and his to the first chance you get send me those woolen pants of mine 2 pr of socks 1 pr of those flan- / draws 2 under shirts. if you can have me a pair of shoes mad No 7 send those things the first chance I need them very bad. It is snowing here now been snowing all day we have to take it all without tents I suppose we will draw tents this evening also make me one lincy over shirt there will be some one passing all the time. when have you heard from [?] she can get home now if we go to Murfreesboro I will try to get a furlough and bring her home. I must close it is so cold and snowy I cant write I will write again soon write as soon as you get this tell sis and all of them to write send those things as soon as you can love to all             Your affect son

J Burtwell

 

P.S.

            I will enclose a Yankee letter picked up on the battle field at Periville

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