Greenville Tenn
March 22nd 1863 [1863 is a mistake for 1864]
Dear Father
I write you a few
lines to let you know that I am
Still alive & well I am her on
bisness for the Battalion I came
her yesterday & will leave to day I
Brought money for the command
to [?]and under the [?]ate[??]
Gen Longstreat is her his hedqu
arters is her he has a large army
her & at Bulls gap the yanks advanced the
other day above Moristown but
got scard & fell back the are
Said to be at mosey Creek & Strw
bery Plaines thare ar some imp
-ortent [??] on [???]
but the hed generals now
what it is thos I fear thay is
a fall back intended I hope
I am mistaken the army is
[????] to advance & it is the
[?]ght[?] abel to do it. I Shall
Stop at Carters Depot to night
whar I have some busness to tra
nsact & Rejoin my Company
to morow at Zolecoffer to mor
row night
[page 2]
Father I am very uneasy about
home I fear the Children weill
Suffer for bread I hear the yan
-ks have bin thar sence I left
& the last news from thar is that
the Bushwhacks is on Valley Riv
I thort they will take all I
have left including my ne
gro boys I wish I had brought
them with me if I could I
would have them Brought yet
I could hire them to the goverment
but So it is if we could git hour
independence by me losing all
I have I would be Satisfide
Gen John H. Morgan is at Abingdon
Va his command is looked for
her soon I hear my David
has Joined him if so I think he
did rong
Dear father a few lines in confi
dence on my return from N.C.
I reported to Col Mcamey [1] & Co.
love [2] they put me on duty
after exam my orders
I remained on duty for Some
time I was ordered to muster
the Batt for pay which I did
[page 3]
after all this Gen Jackson [3] had
me arested for being absent
without leave while in N.C.
& refused me a trial I applide
to Gen Longstreet & ast a trial
he hase granted my request
& has ordered Gen Jackso[n] accord
-ingly I believe I will be Sust
-ained in Spite of Jackson
Since my arest I have bin
doin as I pleased & going whar
I chuse thar is not one
officer in the command but
what is my friend you
neede not have eny fears
as to the result I have wrote
you this expecting you had
heard Some thing of it & had
not heard the truth
I must close it is too cold to
write snowing fast & the wind
blowing very Cold
Provisions is very carce in this
country tho we git tolerable
rations flower not bolted
tho it dose very well neads
no sodey the boys dos not
grumble & seems content
[page 4]
thar only wish being the good
of thaer country, I ort to
tell you that I went out
to the cuntry near Leesburg the
other day I Stade Several
days with Some friends thar
Leesburg is 5 miles North West of
Jones Borow I have made meny
friends in E Tenn that I will
not Soon ferget
tell mother I often think of her
& her Kindness to me I would
like to See you all tho I think
it Probable we Shall be cut
off from each other till the
war is over tell to be
a good boy & not let the yanks
git him, do all you can
to get corn for my family
your Son
S, Whitaker