May the 6^{th 62}
Respected Parents
I accept the present opportunity of conversing with
you by way of mail line &c I will commence by
informing you that I am well as usual in
the second place I will give you a brief sketch
of our Journey from Winchester to the point where
I am at this date we arrive at Indianapolis at
9 ok P.M. remaned there all night Tuesday morning the
28^th we went to the Adjutants & received transportation
without any trouble whatever we started for Jeffer-
sonvill at 8.45 A.M. got the above stated place
at &frac12 past 2 ok P.M. crossed the river they was a
boat preparing to start for Pittsburg Landing we got
on board but did not get started until 10 ok the 30^th
after a pleasant ride of 600 miles we got to the landing
at 4 ok May the &lt 2^nd ?&gt we remained there all night
we could see the graves of the brave that fell in
[page 2]
that great struggle the morning of 3^d we went up
the river 4 miles further &amp landed we there got some
instructions as to the whereabouts of our Ridg& t we
started in a south west direction a long a new road
after marching about 15 miles we found our Ridg& t
we had considerable of trouble to find it for they is
so many troops here while we was looking for our
ridgt cannonading commenced in the direction of Corrinth
our men began to form companys to start to the
resque we had about gave out all hopes of getting
to our ridgt at all but present an officer told us
where our brigad was camped we struck off
on double quick when we got them they was
prepairing to go to the battle field but the fireing
ceased presently I took every thing to the boys that
I started with and they was greatly pleased to get
them I found the boys in rather a bad condition none of
them are well but John Knight some of
them are very sick while others are able to be
about Eli Hiatte &amp William Henry Lasley is quite sick
[page 3]
they are with us yet Elxander Jones is a few miles
behind us and is very sick I will give you the
names of the sick of those whom you know
W^m Starbuck William Lasley Eli Hiatte Elisha
Olvey Ira Hanks Calvin Puckett Daniel Bailes
A.M. Owens W^m Morris Elxander Jones Levi Thornburg
Capt Dunn they are all here also M. D. Starbuck
is not very well we have but 20 men in our company
that is able for duty we are in 10 miles of Corrinth
and hourly Expecting to heare the roar of the cannon
you must excuse me for not writing sooner for i
had no opportunity of writing I will close my letter
hoping it may find you all well this may be the
last letter that I will be permited to write to you
but if we never meet again in this wourld i hope
we may meet where parting will be no more forever
give my respects to all inquireing friends G.W.