Cumberland gap Tennessee June 7 1862
Dear Wife I again take the oppertunety
of Riting afew lines I am still well
hoping that thes few lines may find
you all well I Rote you aletter last
nite & maild it this morning but
I thought I would Rite you afew more
I have to go on picket tomarrow I thought
as you did not Rite to me last weak that
I would Rite you tow letters in Return
you Rote to me before that you had
Some of your money yet you aught to
look ahead you have to act as husband
& wife both when you Saw that thare
was no wheat making you no that it
will make corn hyer you aught to
by as much corn & meat as you could
you aught to keep about 5 dollars fur
cash perpuses what you can by fur one
dollar now will be 2 in 3 months if
I ant badley foold but if you can mak
out with out spending it do so but if
you by Rite Smarrt you need not eat
[page 2]
in wast but eat aplenty I am lowanced
I Jest git a gill Cup full of flower at
a mess the Cup we masure it in is hard
ley as big as faneys cup Jest masur it ful
I put it in the tray & you can See what
I have at a meal & ahalf apound ameat
per day but ahalf pound in to 3 peaces &
you can tel how much I eat we doant git
eny thing els if we do we doant git as
much meat and Some times there is two
or three Joints of it Spoilt then we
have to do with out or by I have baught
tel I have baught out of money & I have
Concluded to live off uve Jeff Davis
but I exspct when I git out I will by more
the wagoners broak my Spider a coming
up hear & I went 5 miles to a furnes &
baught me a littel oven to bake in
I Rote to you to Send Some of all your hair
to Jefferson and have Ringes made out
of it and Send it to me & that is the last
[bottom line cut off in photograph]
[page 3]
I commence my leter again I had to
Stop Riting & go to head quarters tha was
4 Compneys of the Ridgement had to
go and we did not no what we had
to go fur thare was about 3 thousan
of the Brigade thare & we formed in
3 Squares & the Cavelry mad the other
Square & tha fetch in 6 prisners & 4
of them was North carolinans tha had
De Serted & tha giv them 39 lashes
on the bare back & drumed them out
of Camps under the tune of yankey
doodel it was the werst looking site
I ever Saw if to See a white man tyd
to a stack of armes & 39 lashes put
on his bare back with a cow
hide it looket Redicklous but
tha never hurt them much but if
ide had to dun it I would
a cut the blood out ever lick fur
I Say dam a tory fur tha are wors
then a yankey & I have no murcey fur them
[page 4]
So if I have to come home that away
you need not look fur me & you
need not look no how fur this
d m old Jainrel wont let you off
if your leg is of[f] you cant git
a dis charge with out you have bin
dead 10 days & then prove it as fur
furlows it is out of the qustion to git
one if you are Sick the other was
of the 3rd georgia Battelyon tha have
to ware a 12 pound ball
& chain to there leges fur Sixty
dayes I would not mind that so bad
but to be whipt I had Ruther be dead
fur it will follow them to the next
I must come to a close give my best
Respecks to all inquiring Frends
heare is a song balled that be
longs to wilson Send it to him by
Francis Kircus be shore & take
them to him So Remains
your loving Frend
H W Robinson to Elisabet Robinson
[page 5]
June 8
alittel more this morning I am s[t]ill
well & firmley hope that thes few
lines may find you well I have to go
on picket this morning I Stand one
more lonesom nite I think more a
bout home if posebel when I am on
picket then eny other time tha ar
so meny gits Shot on picket there
has pin 2 of our Ridge ment shot
them self on picket one throught
the hand & the other Shot all of his
fingers off of one hand the letter that
is in my first letter is fur Thomas
wilson a sun of big Jims Wilson the
one that is in this is george wilson
Send it to old Jim wilson tha want
Francis kircus to take them tel Frances
that Thomas O Wilson wants him to
take his letter to his father & george
wants him to take hisen & leave
it at his fathers tel him to be
Shore & do it if he pleases
[page 6]
I heard from W.P Kircus last
friday he was Stil on the mend
give my Respects to all the
naboars tel all the Children
how dy fur me & kiss them
& Rite Soon & Regeller So no
more but Remains your loving
husband until deth farewell

H. W. Robinson To

Elisabeth Robinson
& all the children
Margret & Frances
Bridges



[the “song balled” included with the letter]

Song Balled

1 Thare was a welthy merchant
In london he did dwell
he had a lovely daughter
the truth to you I will tell
2 Sing I am left alone / Repeat
She was corted by a gentelman
A man of hy degree
It was Jackey the sailor
that plowed the Roaring Sea
3 Sing I am left alone
Jackey is gone a sailing
his face Ill See no more
he’ll land in france
On Some deep and Sandy Shore
4 Sing I am left alone
Jackey is gon a Sailing
With his own trubld mind
A leaving of his contry
And his darling girl behind
5 Sing I am left a lone
She was Siting in a room
A Singing her true love Song
Her father Said unto her
My daughter you are Rong
6 Sing I am left alone
[page 2]
Crewell Crewell father
You may my body confine
But Jackey the Sailor
Has gained this hart of mine
7 Sing I am left alone
Now you are left at liberty
And money at your comand
She formed a Reselewtion
To vew Some furren land
8 Sing I am left along
She went in to the tailor Shop
And drest in manger ree
And away to Some Sea captain
Sing carrey me away
9 Sing I am left alone
And now you are beard Sir
Your name Ide like to no
She Smiled in her coatnance
Ses call me Jack murow
10 Sing I am left alone
Your waist is slim and slender
Your fingers neat & small
Your face is Rad and Rosey
To face a canon ball
[page 3]
11 Sing I am left alone
12 My wast is Slim and Slender
My fingers neat and Small
But Ive no thought to Shudder
To face a cannon ball
13 Sing I am left alone
She marcht amung the offersers
And then amung the men
In cerch of her true love
Whom She thought was Slain
14 Sing I am left alone
She marcht amung the offorsers
And then amung the crew
In circh of her true love
And thare She found him too
15 Sing I am not alone
She puleth out her hankey chief
Some privet mark to Shoe
Jackey doant you no me
And wont you marrey me now
16 Sing I am not alone
The Squier he was sent for
The not it was tied
And all the young offersers
Agreed to Jackes bride
[page 4]
Sing I am not alone
Tha drum was loud of beat
And the fife was swfley plade
And away to america
The boat did Swfley Sail
Sing I am going home
Sing I am going home

Whe[n] this you See Remember me tho
maney a mile we distant be

H. W. Robinson to Elisabeth Robinson
I will jest Say that as I got this Song
balled Rote we got orders to cook up &
be Redy to leave hear by 2 hourers by
Sun to march about 3 miles to the top
of Clinchmountain & I doant no whare to
from thare it is about 3 oclock now So
goodby again
H.. W..
Robinson