In Camp Near Nashville Tenn Dec 19th /62
	      Friend Edwin.
			
     Yours of the 13th came to hand 
this evening and you see I am 
going to promptly replying.
Nothing of importance is transpiring in this 
Department at present so you need not 
expect an interesting letter from me under 
the Circumstances. We are doing the usual amount 
of Picketing and Drilling. Today we had a 
grand Brigade drill, which was the best I 
ever witnessed. General E.N. Kirk Commands
 the Brigade, and takes great pride in seeing 
that everything moves of smoothly and promptly. 
General Johnson of Gallatin fame was 
present and expressed himself well pleased 
with the drill.
     Tomorrow morning at 3 of A.M. we go 
on picket. Our picket line is within 
a mile of that of the rebels. Since our Lavrgne

Affair we have had no skirmishing though we anticipated 
a little fun in few days since we 
went out on a foraging expedition. We went 
within ¾ of a mile of the rebel picket line loaded 
[illegible in original] wagons with corn and oats captured about 
fifty chicken by paying Confederate [scrits?]
as the old gent wouldnt take “Green backs” and 
we had a good supply of the “Peculiar Cash”. 
I received a letter from Nell not long since 
stating that he was attending school and they were 
all well.
     I made an application for “leave of absence” 
a few days ago but our noble old General 
Rosecrans told me that the War Department had 
deprived him of all power to grant leave of 
absence, except in case of  Dangerous illness 
in the applicant himself. As I didn’t look 
nor feel particularly ill, I couldn’t put on 
the face to apply for “Surgeon’s Certificate”, so 
I [illegible in original]. The next application I make 
will be after the “Army of the Ohio” will be dispensed 
with. Then I’ll make a drive homeward.
     Some begin to think that that the rebels are going to attack

us here but I think the prospect rather dubious. But
if they do drive into us they will find a tough Army to
whip. We all know General Rosecrans means to hurt somebody
when he fights. And should they succeed in driving us from our 
hills we have fortifications at Nashville to fall back upon.
     The health of the troops is excellent, and they 
feel just as though they would about as soon fight as 
not, and in such would rather than lay here all winter 
and do nothing. We have beautiful weather with scarcely 
any rain, the nights being rather cold while they the days 
are warm and pleasant. We have only had two snow 
storms this winter, one in October, the other the first 
of this month.
     It seems General Burnside has failed in 
his undertaking and I shouldn’t wonder if the next 
thing we hear will be that McClellan is recalled to 
Command the Army of the Potomac again. I 
am a McClellan man and always have been.
I don’t believe we have a better General in 
the United States than George B. McClellan. 

Write soon Ed and oblige
Yours sincerely
     Irenus McGowan