Caintuckey Lawrill Creak Sept 24 [1862]

My Deare Wife I imbrace the
present oppertunety of Riting you
afew lines to inform you that I
am not well at this time I have
got a very bad cold & my bones
acks so that I can hardley walk
I hope that these lines may find
you all in good helth & am
now 47 miles from the gap
I am furder from home then I
wanted to be before we are going
to Lexington & from thare to
Sincanatta ohio I exspect we
have Sufferd no littel we have
to march throught the dust & it so
thick that you cant see a man 10
steps before you & march from
7 to 12 miles without one drop
of water & when we find it we
find a River with it all dride
up but afew standing pudels
of the nastes water you
ever Saw I must close we
have to Start you must Rite
every Chance direct your letter
to beans Station
[page 2]
W. P. is well as common
he Stands the march as wll
as eny of them he was not
heare when we was ordrd
to Rite W P wants to heare
from home very bad
Good by it will be
unsirten when I will
ever see you again
H W Robinson
To Elisabeth Margret
& all the Children

I will Rite a few more words
I have got a few minets longer
& Will P has come & is Riting
afew lines I will State to you
that you must do the best
you can thare is about 25
thousan of us heare & we cant
all git back home & it may be
my lot to take my bed in
this miserbel contrey of Enmeys
[page 3]
we have to drink wate[r] thick with
mud & wigeltails we march til
12 & one oclock of a nite & my
self & William P cant Stand
it & we stop at the side of
the Road & Rest tel most day
& then we go on to the Regt
him & my Self left the Rod
about a & found a litel
stream that you wouldent drink
out of thare & we thought it was
the best water you ever drink
we git about as much for tow
days as we can eat in one
& tha give us beef & we have
nothing to cook it in & we have
to brile it & you no it is good
the yankeys left the
gap the 16 & we Started after
them 17 when we came to the
gap we found large piles
of guns thare burnt & catrege
Boxes & thare was about 1.60
yankeys thare in the hospitel
Some was Sick & Some
wasent we are driving them
[page 4]
through Caintuckey & we
have came in 8 miles of them
& we are looking for afite ever
day I havent Sold my litel
gun yet fur it is as much
as I can carrey I have hyerd the
halling of my Napsack all
the way til to day the old
man ses he wont hal it
eny further So I have to
carrey it or thow it away
when you Rite to zeno
tel them that I have Rote
them 5 letters I Sent 3 to
terrisa & has got no ansure
So good by kiss
all the Children for
me H W
Robinson