Camp 11 miles from Louisville          September 21, 1862

 

Brother I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I hope that those few lines will find you enjoying the same blessing Israel we have had a hard time of it for several days past last thursday we marched to Louisville and we worked on the in trenchments all day and we went in to camp at night tired and hungry yesterday morning we was ordered to srike tents at three oclock and we started out on the Bardstown road and we went about 11 miles and we halted in a woods along along a small rocky stream and we laid here all night with out our tents we are here to day but I dont now how long we will stay here there is about 10 thousand / Soldiers here I expect we will gow on after to morrow for we are gowing to exchange our old guns for the French rifle with saber bayonet we have had nothing to eat except hard crackers and fat side meat and half of the time we have to eat it raw if we dont get some thing beter we will get so pore that the wind will blow us away I am thinking as I wright of the nice peaches that you have at home I have began to think that you have forgoten me it is not so with me last night while I was standing guard I could not keep from thinking of home but I try to keep from it as mutch as posible Israel wright as soon as you can and let me now now how you got along with the meeting I would of have liked to been there for I expect / you had a good time of it I wish you would send me some stamps for they cost five cents here and hard to get at that tell the rest of them to wright too so no more at present your

Brother and friend now and for ever

Shelton M Harding     Israel Harding

 

Direct to Co F 79 Reg Ind Vols Louisville

Kentuckey

SOURCES