Murfreesboro Tenn July 29th 1863.

	Dear Mother 
		Again I am
seated pen in hand to have a quiet
chat with you through the medium of
pen, ink, and paper. 
	Yours of the 20th which
reached me two days since found me in
about the same condition as when last I
wrote with the exception of the Neuralgia whi=
=ch troubles me not a little of late. sometimes
I wish I had your Experience that I could
Doctor my self for I will not go to our Surgeon 
under any consideration for he will give nothing
but Quinine and I have taken enough since
have been in the army to kill a person with
one ordinary[ Constitution?]  yet it is the best
thing I can take to ease my head. but to
take it in such large quantities it is perfectly
fryhtful. 

I am almost sory I said anything
to you in regard to my general health .
for I fear it had caused you unnecessary 
uneasiness never fear mother I will come
out all right. I am fully awake now as
to my real situation the best thing for
me is exercise this I partake quite truly
of. often writing in the officer about an
hour. I go out and jump and practice filling
my lungs to their utmost fullness with air then
beat upon my breast. which makes me feel
much  better after the operation. depend
upon it Mother I am doing my best to
overcome these symtoms which [illegible in original] a
Consumption person as for procuring a 
Discharge that might be if I could not
do any other duty than carry a Gun but
as thare are plenty of situations that
any one of my temperament can just as
well fill as not than they will Keep me.
but never mind I am contented to stay
and do my duty which I can and if I 

	am called to lay my life on my Countrys
alter then so be it. we must not [murmer?]
 for it is the will of the almighty [illegible in original]
that we are called to make such sacrifices
Dear Mother take good care of Freddie
for him take plenty of exercise and not be
confined to much. lest the Dreaded Disease
is hereditary and he would be inclined 
that of no one knows how I love my little
brother no Father or Mother in this
world. to guard a protect him and lead
in the way he should go. but you I trust
will be all to him my heart could wish
I thought when to I commenced this to
write a good encouraging letter to you but
it is quite the reverse. I am in no mood 
to write a good letter and it is so seldom
that I can allow myself to write in this
melancholy strain 
	We are [illegible in original] encamped in
the suburbs of the city of Murfreesboro.

within a stones throw of our Camp there
has been a battle fought and the graves
of the poor fallen victims plainly show [how?]
[illegible in original] was the conflict. Oh how cruel is
War sometimes I am so very tired of
this thing I am the most miserable
being in the world. yet not once have
I [illegible in original] at the [illegible in original] of our
Administration and never will,

but I must close now and the
next letter I write will try to write
a more satisfactory epistle.
	Write often with all the news etc
	Love to all friends, mother
included
		Edwin

Mother