In Camp Near Nashville Tenn Dec 14th
Dear Friend Nell.	
     Your welcome letter was received 
this evening, and you see I am 
going to be very Punctual in answering 
for once at least. Everything moves along 
about as usual in Camp, only now and then we 
have a short chase after rebels just for variety.
A few days ago we had quite a skirmish with 
the rebl General Williams driving him from his 
Camp near Lavergne, and destroying his comfortable 
quarters. It wasn’t very polite I will acknowledge 
but after all it was a debt we owed the gentleman for 
the loss of our [tracks?] near Lawrenceburg Kentucky. I 
would not have [taken?] $100,000 for the contents 
of mine, and Lieutenant Melendy’s was still more valuable.
     Nell I am heartily glad to hear you speak so favorably 
of you teacher and school. Give my deep respects to all
my old scholars and say to them that it is my wish 
that they wield the same confidence to their present 
tutor that they always seemed to repose in me.
     I left your District feeling a war regard for all my 
scholars, and shall always remember the winter I spent 
with you as one of the most agreeable of my life.
I received a letter from Ed not long since. He seems 
to enjoy soldiering first rate, but I presume he 
could enjoy it much better did he enjoy these bright 
warm sunshiny days which we enjoy in Tennessee. 
I have had only two light snow storms as yet, and 
they both disappeared the day after their fall. But little 
rain has fallen this winter so far, the roads are 
excellent and health of the troops never better. All we 
want now, is a sight of rebels to make [illegible in original] fight. Whenever

      [ready?]
General Rosecrans says “All ^ boys come on” 
you may expect a series of events such as have not
startled the Nation lately. The General is pressing things 
forward with a rapidity truly wonderful still I suppose 
many up north are complaining because he don’t 
move forward. [illegible in original] I wish some of those Northern
fault finders were down here near the Picket lines, 
I’ll bet they wouldn’t want General Rosecrans to 
move a foot till they were a little further to the 
rear Place. I find makes quite a difference
 in the carriage of some men. And of that [clap?] I
believe fault finders [form or favor?] a Part. It is a very easy
thing to sit by a comfortable fire side, surrounded by 
friends, and all the creature comforts, and say go 
ahead. Why don’t the hounds come down here and 
say follow me awhile? When they begin to do that 
we will pay some heed to them not before.
     Our Colonel and the Colonel Commanding our 
Brigade received their Commissions as Brigadiers 
yesterday.  So Indiana, and Illinois, each have had another 
General to watch over and wrangle about. Col Kirk 
or now General Kirk, our Brigade Commander is one 
of the best in the service. [rest of line illegible in original]
Corps of the [Grand?] Army. They were talking 
some of giving us [illegible in original] But General 
McCook told them that if they put Shelton [illegible in original] 
on the 2nd Division he would resign. I guess 
though his pay is to good to allow him, to do 
any such foolish thing at present.
     I made an application for leave of absence 
yesterday but failed, but as General Rosecrans said 
the War Department had deprived him of all power 
to award leaves of absence except in the single case

of dangerous illness in the applicant himself. As 
I didn’t look dangerously ill nor feel so, I couldn’t 
put on the face to apply for a Surgeon’s certificate 
so I gave it up for a [body?] job, and came back  to 
the Regiment again determined to wait till Buell
or some one beside Rosecrans, Commanded the Department 
of the Cumberlands.
     Nell when this war ends, you may expect 
if my life is spared to see a fellow about my 
size in Michigan on a visit. It seems almost as 
though I had about a thousand relatives in your District.
Tell your folks that I still remember them with 
feelings of gratitude, and respect, for their [numerable?]
acts of kindness to me a stranger with nothing to 
recommend me to their notice. When I return if 
ever, I shall feel as though going to a second 
home, instead of among strangers as when 
I first met your noble parents.
     I cant make even a guess how long this war 
will continue. The longer I remain in the service 
the better I understand how little I know of military 
matters. Of course, I [illegible] something of the minutia 
but very little of motive powers.  The rebels hope 
of intervention seems to be a [waning?] light which no 
probable success of theirs can revive. Burnside 
seems to be pressing forward with his usual 
energy, at Fredericksburg, and if nothing happens
 we may expect to hear of him before Richmond 
after driving Lee from his works at Fredericksburg. 
How I wish we [illegible] be there to strike a blow at 
the very heart of the viper, called a Confederacy.
     But I must close. My love to your folks, and 
respects to all my [illegible] friends. 
      Yours as ever
       Irenus McGowan