Camp Near Levern Nov 18th 1862
Dear Brother
I now take the oppertunity
droping these few lines to inform
you that I Recieved your letter tow
days ago and I am glad to hear
that you are all well I would
have answered it Right away
but we got marching orders and
we had to leave Right away
and we made a small march of
about 10 miles and when we got
to Camp we had to go out on
Picket and it was about Dusk
when we got in of[f] Picket yester
day we had a slight skirmish
with Forests Rebel Cavalry the
evening we came here and this
morning another yesterday they had
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a Purty heavy skirmish in to the Right
of us but I didnt hear how they made
out you stated in your letter that you
were offered 500 dollars to take some
fellowes Place that was Drafted
and say your Price is 1000 but
I say you better stay where you
are if you have Plenty of work for you
would curse yourself a thousand times
for each dollar if you except it for
Reccollect it aint fighting but march
ing that ll fetch you and besides
that you have you have to lay out
in all kinds of weather and they have
now adoptd the shelter Tents and
Each two men has to carry a tent
and you have to get up all hours of night
without and Regard to weather and your
Plagued with the Rheaumatism
just imagine yourself getting out
of a middling comfortable bed (for its
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seldom we have a Comfortable one)
and making a march of 5 or six miles
in A Drenching Rain and then lay
Right down on the wet ground with
out anything to Shelter you from
the Rain and no dry Clothes to Put on
and not Even a fire to warm yourself
for if we had dare to build fire we
Couldnt for every thing is wet and wont
Burn think of all this and besides
the stiffness the March Creates
and you have some insight of a
soldiers life so Id avise you to not
leave Even two thousand dollar On
till you we are not in the centre anymore
we have been Placed on the Right wing
the Centre Stays in Nashcille. there
was a Bettery and the 5th Brigd went
out Reconoitreing they was firing Purty
Rapid a while but it ceaced they
must have drove the Rebels off
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tomorrow we go out the Brigades take
it turn about Reconnoitreing I must
Close my letter Give
my Respects to all and take my
advice and stay where you are
[1] Direct to Henry m Erisman Co. K 77th Regt. P. V.
5th Brigade
2nd Division
Louisville Ky