Tullahoma Tennessee January 20 1863

Father Mother Brother and sisters and
Dear people
I will endeavor this morning to write you afew lines
though it is indeed unpleasant writing on the account of
cold weather I think it is the coldest weather I ever experienced
it has been snowing 3 days & nights though it now has seased
and I truly hope for better weather. those few lines leaves us
Boys all tolerably well hoping this may find you all well
We would be glad if some of you would write us for we
havent heard a word from one of you this year yes I tell
a story we received aletter from Jas & petter last evening which
gave us much pleasure to read, & hear that he & peter was
well & doing well. he said also all was well at home. furthermo
he sayd that pa carried them something good to eat that was
Joyful. it seems like some of you might go carry them something
good to eat every constant. they would be glad if you would
do so. I know for I have experienced such like. it seems like I
would give every dollar I posses for some thing good to eat.
I will close on this side & let some of the rest write the other,
Tell the Girls I am yet living. tell them I shal expect to
hear from them when Berry comes. Berry bring me all my
letter and some thing good to eat. Mother make all write
though I would think they would write any how. As ever your loving
Son til death. A. L. McGowin To his People good Bye
[page 2]
Lewis says write some with him so I will. though
it is useless as I have nothing of interest more
than he has said.
All is quiet here so far as I know. I hear or try
to hear but little from the enemy. I supose they
are back towards murfreesboro where we left
them. We gave them a decent flogging, but fearing that
they would reinforce too strong for us, we left.
You will please excuse me if I say nothing concerning
war matters, for I am really sick of it.
We are getting on as well as you could expect,
making the best of all so far as we know
how. We have had more [????] since the battle
then ever before though the weather has been
so bad that we can not drill, and this is
the reason why. Th[omas?] McG. Moore & Blackm[??]
now make up our mess. We have built us a chim
ney, but have no house nor even a tent, but hav
a fly to spread over us. The oak smoke, cold
wind & glittering of the white snow has made
our eyes so sore that we can scarcely see our
way. I & Jas been our in the country on a one
days pass since coming here, and we made it
count sure, we got two dinners, good ones, and
got at a mill a bu. of meal and 50 lbs. of flour.
We also enjoyed the company of the prettiest of Tenn.
girls we do not pretend to say they are so beautiful
as those of Ala. We are drawing money to day, &
already have enough to answer our purposes as we have
no chance to buy any thing Alex