Camp Co Co Creek
April 18th 1863
Dear Father I imbrace this
Spar moment to write you
I am well at this time So
is my men except 2 is very
Sick I Sall march from
her on the 23 inst to Zollico 
-fer [1] on the Rail Rode I 
Sopose Some 110 Miles abo 
-ve Knoxville it is whaer 
the yankey burned the 
Bridge over the Holston
I am glad to leave her I think
I can beter serve the publick
beter else whar I have let
my men all go home but
about 20 to git thar close
& see thar folks before they
leave for good all my
Lieuts is gone I could not
Lieve I may git to come
home when we git Statoned
[page 2]
Father I wrote to you some
time back but got no ancer
I have concluded you did
not git my leter I wrote you
on the subject of a tomstone
I bought for Mothers grave [2]
I got a large stone I think
very nice with all the
Leters you sent for fifty
dollars I alls got 2 for my
Litel children I did hope
to git them shipped to Louden
or sweet water before I had
to march march then my wagon
could have hawled them
home in this I am disap
-ointed I will hav to send
my Team home before
I can git the toom stones
the large one would have
bin done but one of the
work men has bin sick
I hope how evr to git
[page 3]
them soon I will contrive
to git them home some
how or other I have no
war news of intrust to
write times is hard in
Tenn corn from 2 to 5 doll
per busel bacon 50 to 75 cts
Father I have got a long
with my men vey well
tho I have had a hard time
which eny officer will have
that dose his duty I have
had no rest cercly [3] I am
more at lasier to day than
comon & has had some
half dozen calls Since
I began to write these
lines I do not git out
of umer tho my patience
is Some times tride I dont
think I have [???]
in the company
[page 4]
Father I was at garet Taylors
the other day all is well
garet has got home safe
after being all over the north
he is exchanged & is going
back as soon as he rests
Father write to me & let
me Know how Jim & mother
is giting a long & if you
have heard From John
or Silas or Joshuas boys
I do not Know how I am
to send this leter the mail
is Stopet from her to M[??]
[??] [?] I have to
write by James Whitaker
I must close as I have
to attend to other maters
your Son
S Whitaker
James Whitaker Sen