I am sorry that there are hindrances
to [illegible] enjoying herself yet I expect when
I left that she would have the
freedom of the Country. Give my
love to Aunt Joe and all who think
enough of me to enquire
	I remain your[illegible letters]cous-
                                      in [illegible letters]
Direct as before Murfreesboro Jan 28th 1863


	Dear Cousin
		         I received your most
welcome letter last night and
was sorry to hear that Henry 
has been sick.
	You speak of the casualties
of the battles that where fought
around this place I will tell
you who was killed Capt Foster
and Cal Zener in the 15th and
Will Peterson in the 73d also 
one of Henry Heralds boys in the
ninth they are all with whom 
I was acquainted    Will Peterson

was hit the third one in his
regiment he was shot through
the stomack and lived only 
a few minutes after he fell
his regiment had to fall back
and the Ground on which he laid
was taken by the rebels and 
held for a day or two so the next
time that the man saw him
who told he was dead lying
in the place where he fell
and this man buried him
so there is no doubt of his being
killed. Zener was hit so one
of his company that was lying
right above him told me he was
struck with a six pound ball
right above the right hip and the
ball came out below the left

thigh the ball took a mans head
off before it struck him the Regiment
was laying down at the time so as
our guns could fire over them
Strange to Say Zener lived 2 hours
after being shot and had his senses
and talked and sung all the
time the last words he said was
“Jesus my all to heaven is gone”
It is sad to see the havoc of war
and the dead bodies of our brothers
half buried but such is the fact
these battles fought here will long
be recorded as the bloody fields of
Murfreesboro but how else can we
stop this rebellion  I hope every
Father Son and child may pour
out their hearts blood before
they will allow the Stars and
Stripes to be dishonored and torn
So let us keep the Union whole
or if they divide it I want to
leave this carcass on some southern
field so they can say there is one
that prefers death to seeing his
country destroyed.
	They have great reports here
in camp about fighting and quarrel
-ling in Indiana I should like
to know something about it.
	Tell the folks that write to
me to direct to Louisville for
I wrote for them to direct to
Nashville and I have never
got a letter yet directed so and
yours was the only one I have
received from home since the
25th of last month. I got a letter
from [Jim?] Dated the 31st at Holly
Springs I am glad the Army agrees
with him so.