Pioneer Corps 3rd Divn 15th A C. 
   Chattanooga Tenn July 1st 1864 
Dear Sis 
I will Endeavor to while away a few leisure moments 
in writing you a few lines in answer to your letter dated 
June 12 & 15th which I rec'd yesterday. I was glad to hear that 
you was well and I hope this may find you the same  
I am considerable better than I was Two weeks ago though 
I have not got entirely over my fall yet; and perhaps 
will not this Summer: I think I could have been 
sent to Nashville from here last Saturday if I had tried 
and probably got furloughed from there but I did not want  
to go until the Reg't goes home; I have always had a great 
horor of being around Hospitals and  dont want to go into 
one as long as I can Keep out: I dont want you to feel 
uneasy about me for I think I will get along verry well; or at 
least as well as I can until the reg't goes home; the Reg't got 
here last night they marched from Huntsville to Stevenson 
and come from Stevenson here on the Cars; we will wait 
here until the Division Wagon Trains gets through and 
then we will March on to Kingston which is in Georgia 
56 miles from here by railroad; we will leave here about 
the 4th So I wont be at the Springville Celebration this year; 
I Shall always remember the celebration we had last year 
and I would like to celebrate the capture of Richmond this 
4th but I am afraid it will take Grant the most of the 
Summer to take Richmond but I believe he will hammer 
away at Richmond until he does take it 
The weather is quite warm now and severeal boys in 
our Div got sun Struck on the March but I dont 
think there was any Killed from our Regiment: we 
had a good Shower of rain yesterday but it is quite 
warm again to day: Merrick Rogers has got the Rheumatism 
in his Knees and is in the Hospital here; Jim Kingston 
is also in the Hospital; Robrt Mc told me sometime ago 
that his wife was going to plattevills to stay with her folks 
I dont think that Roberts shoulder straps gives him the 
big head any yet nor I dont think it will; Robert was 
a good man before he come into the army and I think he 
will remain so; a man that is a man at home can 
be a man in the Army; but take a person that could 
get no office at home and who generally managed 
to Keep in debt to the Tailor for his clothes; and felt too 
important to work; and if he can get a commisson 
in the Army; he will be a bigoted Swell head; like a 
bloated Set of Bowells contain nothing but offensive 
wind; and will always command the disrespect of 
Sensible men. I Supose that Robert can afford to pay more 
now towards Keeping his wife than when he was a sergeant 
I loaned him a hundred Dollars a few days ago to send 
to his wife: I have made more money so far since I been 
in the army than he has and I used to hire him for a 
Dollar a day last Summer to sell beer for me but that was 
all right enough: I dont think that our Div will be put 
in the extreme front in this campaign it is said we 
will relieve another Division at Kingston so they can go 
to the front; Our Regt will not now get to go home 
until after this campaign if it takes all summer 
     There is more or less fighting in front every day and 
every day there is more or less wound brought in here 
from the front: Our Division has been extremely 
lucky this Spring in not no being called into Battle. 
though they had Enough of it last year 
There is a great deal depending on this years Campaign 
and will go a great way towards deciding the result of the War: 
I cannot see that the war can possibly last three years longer 
and I should not feel altogether Satisfied to be at home while 
the war is going on and I hope how soon it may close 
for a few years longer would bring our whole country 
to a masse of ruins and debt which would require many 
years to regain as prosperous a condition as before the war 
Wish you to live as contented as you can and in hopes of a 
better future for I still feel in hopes that we may yet be 
permitted to spend many pleasent days together: I Know 
that soldiers wives see a [crossed out] [heard] hard time to get along 
and they are not given half the credit that they deserve 
for if they have a husband that they love and respect as 
Such they are in almost constant suspese lest they should 
hear in the next mail that he is either sick Killed or 
wounded   . I always feel anxious to hear from you every 
week and when I dont get letters I feel uneasy about 
you and I Know I Should feel mutch more uneasy if 
our positions were reversed; I have only rec'd your letter 
since I wrote before I supose you will get the money 
I sent you before you get this as I Expressed it on 
    the 18th of June 
 I see from 1 papers that the weather is verry dry 
all over the Northern states and unless rain comes 
soon the crops will be verry light I would like verry 
well to go with you to Mich if I was at home but I 
shall not promise now when we will get home; I have 
not had a letter from Susan for a long time and  
Harriet has not written to me since she was in [illegible] 
though I believe I have written to her twice since; 
I want you to Keep up good courage and I will call 
around and see you one of these days and stay a day 
or two; I believe I will close for this time 
write soon? from Your [illegible] Boy 
Good Bye: Sis 
T.J. Davis 
L.M. Davis