Nashville Jan 7th /64
Dear friends Ettie & Will
       Good Afternoon.
I received your ever welcome
letter in due time was very
glad (as I always am) to hear from
my friends what few I have got
I am well and have been ever
since we have been in Tenn.
there has only been but one day
that I have been unwell then
come very near having the ague
but got some hops and made
some hop tea drank two or three
quarts of it and was all right
again it has been a year or 
more since I have been excused
from duty by the surgeon
it is quite cold here at present
they have had their sleighs
out here a little the other
night I saw a sleigh with four
persons in it with four horses
hitched to it they were trying
to cut quite a swell. the snow
has not been over 2 ½ inches deep
at any time but the ground is
froze quite solid. Those folks in
the north that say so much
about the sunny south I would
like to have them with me
new years day when 6 was coming
from Louisville and worst
of all we came up part way and
then had to go back the engine
froze up so they could not
run it you spoke about my
coming home as for me I dont
expect to see Mich in two years
at least if I am well as
for being out of the army
next year at this time I dont
see it I expect to serve me
three years in the army.
These are lots of the cumber-
-land army reenlisting some
of them have only a few
months more to stay. I think
I shall serve my first three 
years before I go in for three
years more. Has Charlie got any
 recruits yet. he said he should 
try and get Clark but it will
be useless the pay is not but
enough to suit him that is
a privates pay is not he says
if he could get some kind of
an office he would go he
says the pay is what they all
go for. But my stock of
writing matter is about sun
out so with a good after
noon I will quit write as
often as convenient and very
much oblige your wayward friend
                                James