Aug 18th /62
Camp Near Battle Creek Tenn
Dear Brother I now take the Plesure
of writing to you to let you Know that
I am well hopin that these few lines
may find you and your family Enjoying
the same blessing Abe why dont you
write to me this is the fifth letter I wrote
to you and I aint got any answer to
any: we are now lying at Battle creek
and we go Picketing about 2 miles from
Camp Every three Days where we can
have a chat with the Rebels whenever
we feel like it. I had a talk with a fellow
that was Born and Raised in Columbia [1]
he was Raised by a [???] by the name of Mul
lesson (Jim Millissons Father) he is a
tinker by trade learned his trade in
Columbia and left there the time of the
Cholera and got to Texas some how
there he got married and when they Com
mened to Enlist there for the Rebel Army
he joined the 2nd Texas Regt I asked him
Why he didnt come on our side to fight he
[page 2]
Said he had too much Property in
Texas for that I asked him his name
but he wouldnt tell it
he was Purty well acquainted in Lancaster thoo
he Asked me all about John Hoover Hen
Hamphreville Andy Hart he said he
Playd many a game of Ten Pins with
them but he didnt Recollect you nor
moony Rodgers I guess you must
have been in Philadelphia at the
time he was in with them fellows
we talked for About 1 hour and a half
when they was Relieved after he was Relieved
he told me to take care of myself and
hoped that we might have a drink togeth
er and he left We are in a Purty tight
Place here just now but we are Throw
ing up Entrenchments and I think we can
stand them there was a couple of Desert
ers came in last Evening and they said
Rebels had about 85,000 between here
and Chattanooga while we haint 10,000
at the out side but McCook's wide awake
[page 3]
and hes making preparations to Receive
them. Bill Diffenderfer Died on the 16th
I think he was struck with the Palsey
he is the 6th one that Died out of our
Co since we are in service we have 18
sick in the Hospital out of our Co &
we have only 39 men in our Co for Duty
Pyfer is trying to take orderly from
me. he haint been half tending to
his Buisness and I went into him the other
day and asked him about some fellows
that to the hospital and we had some
words and I hinted as much as he didnt
tend to his Buissness and since that he is down
on me the worst kind why when he got word
that Diffenderfer was dead he was
just leaving Camp to go on Picket and
he says to me: why says he I didnt
know Billy was sick: atal: and he was
lying sick not more than 15 yards from
his tent (the Capts tent) afore he went
to the Hospital: but he is now begining
to see his mistake and he is keeping his
Eyes a little more about him there
aint a man in the Company but what
[page 4]
is wishing that somthing would turn up
that he would get out of the Company Either
that he would die get shot or Resign any
thing atal only So's hed get out of this Shroat
Begining to put on airs too let me know what
kind of a mess that was that
Mary and Sarah had Give my Best
Respects to Sarah My Edy
and all Enquring Friends and answer this
as soon as you get it
and let me know all
Particulars