Near Cumberland gap Tennessee Oct th 23 the 1862
Dear Sister it is with love and pleasure that I
tak my pen in hand this morning to Send
you a few lines to let you now that I am
well at this time truly hoping when
these few lines comes to hand that they
may find you enjoying all the pleasure
that a woman could for I dont see mutch
Sadisfaction of my life for I want to
bee at home with my little dutch gal
well polly I havent mutch news to rite
to you we went to kentucky last
week but we didnot Stay their long
we come back to our old camp and I have seen
more men and more stock in the last
week that I thought was in the war they
Said at first the yankeys had run them
out of their but the newse is now that
jef Davis has ordered all the Southern men
out of the stats that hant ceded and some
thinks that peace will be made bee fore
long and I hope and pray to god that it may
bee made So I can git to come home to
live with my gal that I left at
home if I Could have Carry with me I
Could do very well but I cant
think of now body elce only Carry
and the rest of my folks turn
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well M A this compy is the worst
Co to Swear and gambol you ever seen in
you life they play Cards day and nite
but I hant played A game Since I
played in Carry and if I keep in the
Same notion I am in now I never
will play another game while I live
and I have quit Swearing put near Some
times I git out of hart and git made
and I Say dam be fore I think but I
agoing to try to do better than I ever
have done before well polly you must
give my respects to the famly and
to all of Joel Shull famly and
to all of my friends and relation and
tel them to rite to me and give me
all the news you must give my
best love and respects to my Dear
Carry Horton well polly tel jordin
he must Come to see me before
he goes back to va well I must
Stop for Amos Howel is going to Start
to the gap So no more only I remain
your brother til Deth you
must rite to me as Soon as you
git this W, H, Horton
good by for to M A Councill