[August 18, 1863]

No 54 Main St. Hospitl
Covington Ky 7th Ward
Dear Wife I will write you a
Few Lines I will first Give Short
A Count of the march if you want
No the Patic items I Can Give them
Thursday July 23d we Arived at
Oald Camp the rigt Got in A Bout
Noon I Got in A Bout five I road
A Bout 7 miles in a Bagge wagon
No Springs I was taken Next
Day Sick had very Sick turns
Some Better when Sundy Night
For the Boat July 26th [road?] in
The A[un?] to the Boat A Bout
The Boat Started a But 11 oclock
And for 11 day we was A Board
That Boat I was on the Bottom
Deck Lay on the floor they Got
A Ground 6 or 8 times twice had
to Git our Spars to Pry of[f] had
to Go through A Cannal A Bout
two miles Bumping Each side
[page 2]
Which Efeckted the wounded sick very
they has A Good Clean Place
Good Beds on the uper Deck
We Stoped At Memphias. Cairo
Luisvill And other Places. Arived
At Cin. 12th Came hear the 13th
I am Feeling full to day I had
Sick turns every day Sence Ben hear But
they ar not so Bad I am very weak
And rather thin I went dwon to
the store and Got Some ink and
Pens Pappar for cent a Shet Bottol
Of ink for five cents I think they
Are Cheaper hear in the City than
[?] Weymouth I had to Go A Bout
As far from you to fishers I
Was rather tiard when I Got Back
I and a N. Hanpshire Boy have Got a
Good Stand to write ther is one or
two Beds with Draw. we Shall have
four mounths Pay when we Git it
I am used up to much for the
Serves they Sey the rigt has
[page 3]
Gon to march a hundred miles I
think it is to Bad I think I Shall
Git a long first rate heare we
had to eate toast Potatoes marshed
Peas Mackrell Boilled Beans tomatoes
but up in vinegar which is Good rige
And Musch as we want

John Rochey and J L Torrey
Come in hear Last Night Rochey
Wants you to send to he wife
Whare he is and where to Direct
her Letters he looks rather Slim
he Says he canot tell how he feell
to day he has Not Got rested
Dirct same as mine
Tell Mother Not to worthey
My respects to All
A kiss for all
Write Smart
Good By
James Pratt
I No much Apptite