Knoxville July 23rd 63
Dear Father
I write you a few
lines which may be some
Satisfaction to you I could
not come down Hiwassee
River that Road being Block
aded by bushwhakers I had
to come by Ducktown Benton
& Athens then to Sweet water
then to Louden when I got
thar My company was gon
to Jones Borow I am her on
my way to Join them I don
not know whether I will
find them thar or at green
-ville or Zolicofer I may meet
them coming back they was
ordered up thar on acount
of a Raid the yankeys made
above Bristol they have been
checked & most of them
capterd the only damage don
was the bur[n]ing of a litle Town
cald withville between the
Salt works & bristol
[page 2]
Father the Toom Stones has
bin Shipt to Louden as I
directed them to be Sent by
Railroad to Cleveland [1]
I presume thay are thar by
this time or will be in a
day or two thar is wageons
Pasing from thar all most
every day I think the chance
is very good to git them to
Duck town or tho
I did not know when I
come down that I would
Send them to Cleveland
I want to Send Some Salt
if I can git it So it can
be hawld up at the S[?]
-[??] I think now that
I will git to go down thar
Soon So you had
[page 3]
beter wate till you her
from me again & that
will be time enough if
nothing beter can be done
for you to send after them
I know it is un sertin
whar I will be or whose
hands I may fall in to.
I am in good helth &
sperits will Join my co
to day Some whar I have
in vested my money to
day in confedrate bonds
baring Seven Percen intrest
$900 I had invested befor
Some money in Seven Per
cent notes
no war news of in trust
Since the fall of vixburg
I must close & Start to
the trane S. Whitaker