Cumberland Mountain
Sept the 14th 1862
Dear Father & Mother
This morning affo
-rds me another opportunity of writing
you a few lines to inform you that
I am well at present though I am
a little worsted by a hard march
from which we returned night
before last We took a trip across the
Mountain towards Kentucky trying
to catch a squad of yankees we
thought had gone in that direction
but we were too slow they had
considerbly blockaded the Road and
were gone so we returned to our
camping grond We are camped near
a Gap called the Baptist Gap some
3 or 4 miles below the Cumberland
Gap When we first closed in on
the yankees we had forces on bothe
[page 2]
sides but the forces on the back
side of the mountain moved on
to Gen Smith but intercepted all
their supplies except what they could
get in the small valleys among
the Mountains, but they have kept
up till yet and still hold the Gap
but I think they are fixing to get
away they are blockading every pass
way across the Mountain in order
to retard our pursuit. Col. Colemans
Regiment is with us and a company
of Indians One of our Indians was
killed in a skirmish day before yester-
-day. I have not heard from any of
you in about 3 weeks I would be
glad to hear if Father had got back from
Virginia and to hear from Jacob
or William as I suppose they dont know
where to write to me I would also
be glad to hear from my friends
[end of letter or page missing]