Nashville. Tenn. January 14th 1863
		Dear Mother,
Your very welcome letter of the
20th and 30th of Dec. were recd this week
but as we were on duty every day I had
no time to answer them until the present
	Was very glad to hear from you.
but sorry to hear your health was so poor
and hope to hear the next time that
you are much better.
	My health is very good although
this morning I feel rather dull as I was
up nearly all night. we have been on duty
for several days and nights without any
rest at all. in general I think my 
health much better than it has been before
this winter. the climate is delyhtful and
agrees with me first rate. I did have 
a very bad cold, but it is cured now.
	I have recd one letter from Augustus
since he left Michigan. but not any from
Frank or Alvah, although I have written
to them. the communication is again
cut off so we do not get hardly any mail
	It is raining to day and I hope
it will rain enough to raise the river so
the boats can come here with provisions.
for we have been on quarter rations ever
since we got our pay. which was one month
ago so you can easily suppose whare  [ever?]
[many?] [went?] for every thing is so [Illegible in original] just
think of giving $8.00 for a pair of Boots . $2.00 
for gloves & for socks. Bread 15¢ per pound 


and every thing in proportion with this letter 
I send you $3.00 and we will get our pay soon
I hope then I will send you some more
	you think you would like to hear me 
laugh again do you. well as for my part
I wish so too but then that is out of the
question however I can laugh as hearty
and do as much as ever I did but it
rains so hard I must stop writing for the present
	Thursday afternoon Well Mother as it
is not likely to stop raining right away I
will finish this to day it has rained steady
ever since yesterday morning our tent is a
very poor one and lets the rain in so you can
easily suppose the condition that we are in
but this morning I heard that the river had
raised 3 feet so the boats can come here easy as
out	I am glad to hear that Father
is getting along so well & hope he will get
entirely well	I think it hardly safe yet
to send anything here but after the Express Line
gets into operation I will write so you can
send me a box of things if you choose Mr S—
folks have spoke several times about sending me
some things and you can all send together
	I wrote to Sarah and Freddie some time
ago and would like to hear from them again
	but for the present Good Bye
		Yours Truly
			Edwin H