th Hospitle
Atlanta Ga July 27 AD. 1863 Fair ground
Dear companion It is with the greatst pleasure
I take my pen in hand to drop you a few lins re
specting my health is tolerable good hopin
g thes few lines ma find you and family injoy-
ing the same blessing I am still in the hospitle I do
not no how long I will stay hear The brigad that I
belong to cum in this plase day before yestoday ea-
vning they I suppose have cum hear for the pur-
pus of fortyfying this plase I have not saw the
boys yet I am looking for a letter from you a gain I
am glad to se the day cum that I usualy get them
tusday is the day I do not no what I will do if am
sent sum whares that I dould not gite letters from
you from report there is a many one here disgrase
d them selves and the female sect and a great
many men is no better We had a very nise sh
ower of rain yestoday eavening and it was neede-
d I am afraid the yankeys will over run miss
I should like to give you the best advises I ca
n if I new what to advise you to do there is
th[at?] cotton if the yankeys gits in there they will
take is or burn it I expect it would be bes-
to turn it in to land it is the shorest
thin I no of If you think it is swap the
[page 2]
cotton for land or turn it in money and
buy land buy that track of bullington or
som other good track of land we do not no how
long this war will last sell as many stock as
you can spair for if the yankeys cums in th-
ere they will take the stock make shore of every
[t?]hing you can every thing you make a have a su
port try to make shore of it in some way I
have nothing of importance to rite you I should
like to sea you and the children it has ben
nearly twelve months since I left home
William learn your book and be a good boy
little yancy I should like to send you some
word but you do not no me and it greaves me
when I think of it Tell the relation I Should
like to sea them but I do not no when that
will be I do not think this war will end
shortly but the saying is the darkest
hours cums before day and this is a dark
time with me so I must close
for this time yours respectfull
Henry Oswalt
Tp P. A. Oswalt