Picket Line Aug the 30th, 1863
Near Chatanooga Dear and affectionate
Wife it is a gain through the merseys of god
I am permited to Seat my Self to drop you
a few lines to let you know that I am well
and I am in as good helth as I have bin in
Some time and when these few lines comes to hand
I hope these few lines comes to hand they may
find you and the Children & all of the con
nection well I have nothing very good to
Right to you at present we are one one Side of
the river & the yankeys on the other They have
bin Shelling Chatanooga Severl times they have
killed 3 men & wounded one litel girl & shot one
or 2 shells through the hosspitel we aint
of them oppisit ous her but they are firing on
our pickits a bove & below us once and a while
but they dont do eny harm to our picket the report
is there is a Briggaid of yankeys at Trenton some 18
Miles South of us on the Saim Side of the river we are
and they rumer is they are crossing the river a bove
but I dont know whether they are crossing up
or not I dont know whether we will have a fite
here or not it is the Jineral opinion <strike>that</strike> we
wont fite here the men Say if they have to go
in to a batel they wont fite for they Say it wont
be eny use for we are all redy whiped the men
is leaving here jus a bout as fast as t[h]ey come in or a
litel faster
[page 2]
My Dear Children you all express you want to
Se me so bad but I know you dont want to Se me
eny worse than I do you I think through the mer
seys of I shall be enabeled to Se you all a again in
a short time for I think this thing will Shoreley com
to a close for it looks like that we caint stand it
much longer my dear I received the Biscuit & pies
& leter & money you sent me by Simeon & I was
very glad to get it and all so to here from you all
once more and to here you was all well & to here
the connection was all well but was Sory to here
that Mother Webb had a nother one of them bad
risings I hope that peas on earth once more may bee
restored both Nationaly & privatly & that god will
Smile on us as a nation once more if it can com

ort to
his hevanly & devine will is my prare for Christ Sake
James Nelums is not well at this time but he was
beter yesterday than he has bin he was in his Quarters
I think he will be abel for duty in a day or too Mack has
got here and is on duty with me he does not know
what they will do with him yet but I dont think
they will punish him if they do I dont think they [???]
the weigh ever thing was and the weigh he come back
I was glad to her from you brother Steven and to here
was a going to rite me & the other boys a good leter I want
you to comply with that. My dear Wife I want to se you
the worst kind and you must excuse me for my short
leter So I must Come to a close by saying I Remain your
affectionate Husband untill death W. B. Gilliland.
To M. J. Gilliland in bonds of Love