1863

Jan 20th Bowling Green Ky
		My verry Dear
Pa and Ma I now take the
opportunity to inform you
that I am Still on the
gain. it is wet and rainy
here at the present Jan 15 thenth
it Snowed all day and all night
and the 16 thenth the Snow was about
8 inches deep and it has staid on
tell now and now it is going
off pretty good jog and it is
verry Sloshy and bad footing
here now. I have got a pretty
hard cold but I feel quite keen
other ways for me. I have had
no letters from Home since Jan
7th and this one makes the
third one, that I have wrote
Since then our mail does
not come
^ come in verry regular here

since the rail road has been
torn up; but we get it by the
Boat about once a week and
some times oftener. we are in
good Spirits and are anxious
to get in to a fight. the 25th
Regt is camped right across the
rail road track from us. they are
fine looking Boys. and they are
like us in their thoughts about our
not being Paid off it is actualy
so bad here we have been for
four months and over and
we have had no money in that
time and we are out of Postage
Stamps and paper and that is
pretty hard for us. this is my
last sheet of Paper and my
last Stamp and if you can
send me a half Dollar I would
be glad of it, as it would supply
me tillwe get our pay and
then I will send you enough

to pay you for your trouble
and more to now I will
tell you what we go through
with here. in the first place
we have to get up in the
morning regular at 6 oclock and
answer to roll call and then we
have to fall in and form
aline of Battle and Stack
our arms and then we go
to our quarters and at half 
past 7 we fall in and go out
and get our arms and then we
go to our quarters again at 12 
oclock we fall out to roll call
again. at 4 oclock we have to fall
out for inspection of arms and 
for roll call and Dress Parade.
then at half past 7 we fall
out for roll call again and
then we go to Bunk but not
to bed. we have whole rations
of coffee and sugar. and some

times Molasses. we also have
hard crackers or hard tack as
we call them, and Bacon or
Sow Belly. we Sometimes 
draw flour and then we have
Pancakes but they are heavy
and indifferent eating. I think
that I Shall have you send me
another Small box. but not
untill I get my pay so that
I can pay the transportation
on it. I want aunt Marcia
to send me a Pair of [Barck?]
Skin gloves and have them
lined good She can send them
by mail for about 11 or 20 
cents at the outside have her
do them up in a good strong
paper and seal them up tight
and direct them to Israel G
Atkins Co H 23 Regt Mich
Infantry Bowling Green Ky
now be sure and have them
come right off you

[Penciled in on top of Scan 5]

1863, Jan. 20

[End]

can pay the Postage on
them and look to me
for the Pay. I will pay aunt
Marcia for the gloves as soon
as I am paid off which will
be before long. or at least I
hope so; I wish that this
Bloody war would end So that
I could come Home and see
you; Here is a gold Pen for
Pa he will have to get it
Pointed over which will cost
him about 50 cents and then
it will be a good gold. Pen
how does [Puff?] and [Parry?] get
along. when you write tell me
all the news around home how
does Grandma get along. I wish
she would write me a few
lines because it would do
me a great deal of good
now Ma I want you to

have your likeness taken
and send it to me have
Willie in your lap So I can
see the little fellow now
dont fail to do this for
me. Have Tyson write to me
and I will do the same by
him when I have a chance.
does Fanny and wille grow
verry fast when you write
tell me all about them and 
let Fanny write me a little
line and let willie Scrible
some to Kiss them both
for me and give my love
to all Keeping a large share
for you and Pa. Home Home
Sweet Sweet Home though ever 
so humble there is no Place like
Home now as I have no more to
say I will quit/  Direct to
Israel G Atkins Co. H. 23 Regt Mich
inft Bowling Green Ky/ Good Bye
all for the present