Murfreesburo Tenn March the 5th /63
Dear wife
I take the oportunity
of wrighting you a few lines
to inform you that I am stil
alive and well and I hope these
few lines will find you all
the Same I would have riten
to you Sooner in the week
but I was waiting to see
if I wouldent get a letter
from you I hant got any
yet this week from you so
I will right a little any
way there hant much news
ot importance to right this
time I am not a pioneer
any more at present our Company
is detailed as Pontooners my
first trial at Pontooning
[page 2]
Dident set verry well
with me we was orderd out
a week ago to night just as
we was getting reddy to go to
bed to go and put in a
Pontoon Bridge then it was
huraw Boys lead up the Botes
and go seven milds that night
and put in a Bridge well off
we went and put the Bridge
in and got it dun by three
oclock that night I laid down
on the wet ground to rest
til morning and catched an
afful cold and hant got farely
over it yet I think though
when the wether gets warm
I will like it verry well
the Captin Says that I have
to Drive Eight Mules on one
of the Pontoon wagons what do
[page 3]
you think of that wouldent
you like to See me stradle of
a mule with a single line
driving Eight we drawed
part of our money the other
day and I dont know hardly
what to do about Sending
you some it is verry Scaly
Business sending money from
here now there is a report that
the express train was robed
between here and nashville
the other day I think i will
wait a few days and see if
i wont get a chance to send
it by some one that is going
there there is talk now that
Rosencrance has isued orders
to Captains of Companies to
furlow five out of evry hundred
for thirty days to go home
[page 4]
if that is the Case there
will some of the boys get
a chance to go home before
long probily in a week or ten
days you needent look for any
tel you hear from me again
there is lots of the Ruggles
Boys camped within a hundred
rods of here I was over to there
camp the other day but the
was all gon foraging but
Joseph Crow I saw him I Cant
think of any thing more at
present so good by for this
time my respects to you all
from Wm to Julina
Culbertson