No 30 Mount Steriling April 11th [1863]
Kuncky

Dear Wife. I sit dwn to write you
a few Lines to Let no that I am
Well and hope you are the same
I have Got a bad head Cold which
Will Pass of in a few days after being
In the Cars and Boat about one week
We. Started from Paris City April 3th and
Marched 22 miles in one day next moring
Moved on to Camp Ground about
Tow miles beyound twon we was tiard
EnouGh to Lay dwon Friday night after
Our Long march After Carring our
knapsack 16 miles we had theme
Carried for us it was the hardest
March we ever have had being
So tiard out I. had to fall out
the Larst few miles and drag one
Leg along Stoping Every few roads
It was a very frosty night we Lay
Dwon on the Ghround but it was
So Cold I. Could not Sleep I Got
[page 2]
up and made a fire we Passed throught
Many Citeys and viliadges on our
Travels we Passed Pen. Ohio Citys
Cincinnati Pitsbrugh Cluhumbus
And others Citys about 12.00 hundred
Miles from home this is a very fine
Countrey But there is nothing heare
that we Cane by buy But I think
there will Be after we Git Payd
of[f] we had more vistters heare
then eny others Place there is
Nearly 20. Some times at dress
Prade mostly women I do not no
How Long we Shall stay heare
But I think for Severl weeks
Mount Sterling is a two a viladge
of about tow thousand Inhabatance
Severl Churches and Good mamy
Stoars But the Gurellers Come
Sunday and Buarnt many Stors
And distroyed many union teams
And drove the troop they Burnt
A hole squar and Left the Place
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Viladges are very Compact heare
Farm houshes are Severl miles a Part
But Good Farmes the soil looks
Like Mass. only there is no Stone
there is Plenty of sugar maples
On our Camping Ghround and
Ash trees I Cought about two qits
Of Sap and Boilled it dwon
tow half apint it was thin as
Warter But Seet you Canot tell
the Sap from warter it is to
Late to make sugar I received
your letter 41 and Charlotte
Mrias. and Sophias. and very
Glad to Git then and would
like to heare from them aghain
I will anser them Sonn as ii Can
Nor have I had eny Pappar I had
to Beg I have Ben on Ghurd most
Every day I have foget the No
Of my letters I think 30 I write
One at New port News one at
City of Covington one Paris city
[page 4]
Our teams have not arived
Which makes rather Shot
Of Provissions its is vey warm
hear to day it will take Longer
For our letters But write often
as you Cane
A kis for all the
Boys Give my Respects
to all

I shall have to
Wate for Papper
to write on

Good By

James Pratt