Carters Depot Aug 27th 1863
James Whitaker
Dear Father I recived yours the 22 inst
this day & now hasen to write you a few lines
yours was the fi[r]st I have recived Since I left
home I dont expect you will git this as we
are cut of below the yankeys 12000 strong
has got to Knoxville & Gen Buckners forces is
gon to Chatanuga thar is to be a big fight
thar about to day, all the Roling Stock
on the Rail Road is gon to verginia exc
-ept 1 or 2 enjoins between her & greenville
it is Said that thar is a considerable
force of hour me[n] sent in between Kno
-xville & the gap of the mountain in order
to hem the yankeys in if this is so & we can
whip them at Chatanooga all will bright
in that quarter, but what is to become of
us her is in douts the news is now that
the yankeys is above her beyond Bristol
this cuts us off intiraly & we are lookin
to be attacted every day we are in the
mids of Lincoleites [1] & Surounded by yank
-eys hour force is small we can & will
do hour duty this is all we can do & all that
ort to be expected of us, the yanks captured
a regemen of N.C. out about Clinton the
other day. thar is no tranes pases below greenvill
& thar is none come down to day which
seemes to conferm the news of the yanks
being above her hour Sick from Knoxville
& S. Planes and Greenville has bin sent
to V.A 2 of my men has gon thar Mr
Hix [2] of my co dide in hospetel the other 
day makes 10 men we have lost you don [3]
know how bad it hurts me to lose so m[??]
[4]
[page 2]
I have writen you Several leters latly
I dont if you have got them I Shall try to
Send this to greenville & by [??????] [5]
if thar comes no trane down I cant
Send it as I know of
it is thout by Some that E Tenn is
to be given up to the yanks if this is
So or they take it western N.C. is gon allso
Charleston SC. has or will go up & I supose it
is to be burnd Admit all this & we
are not whipt & the we fight
in the beter if we can git provision
Father I fer the toom Stones will be lost
I Shall hate this very much but we cant help
it now Father this is a dark day at least
with us her & a day of unsertantyes we may
be attacted to day to night or tomorow
or we may be ordered away we no not
whar or we may Stay her on uncertan
for days to come Father this is a crual
war it makes my hart sick to think of
So meny good & Brave men being Sacrefised
& So meny N Carolineans in particular I now
Set in of 4 men from Cherokee Marshell
among them all this we have to bar this state
of affars cant last long I am still [???]
& in good hart hoping to see you & all my friends
after the war is ovear and hour Independence
d if we are Subagated I dont want
to live to see it nor do I want to live to see my
daughters & the por women of the South equal
ized with the negro this will be the
if we are Subagated I must close I will
try to send this bye Ashville if we [??]
[last two line too damaged and faded to read]