No 26 
   Nashville May 15th 1863
Sister Emma
      Good afternoon
How do you do today
I am well.
Today we have been to
see a man shot for deser
-ting the troops formed
a three quarter square so
all could see and then
they brought him in, in an
ambulance guarded by caval
                           o
-ry they set his c^ffin on the
ground and made him sit
on it [crossed out] [that] when all were ready
they blindfolded him and the
twelve men that were to
execute the deed fired he
backward his feet laying
on the coffin without
a struggle. They burried
him within a few rods of
where he was shot. This is the
result of desertion.
It is severe punishment
but every soldier knows the
penalty before he transgresses
just as well as he does 
afterward he has to run his
own risk. This man belong
-ed to the 10th Mich which
is here at Nashville.
It is very pleasant weath
-er here straw berries are ripe
some are cultivating corn
I should think by what I
hear that the season here
is nearly a month ahead
of the season there some have
got green peas.
I rec’d your letter this morn
-ing dated May 7th was very
glad as usual to hear from 
you. I got George’s and yours
that were together the other
day. I hope you will enjoy
playing on the dulcimer and
will be able to. you must 
keep up good courage and
not get down hearted as
some soldiers do or you will
be as they are sick any
way be careful and do the 
best you can is all [crossed out] [is all]
that any one can do.
It makes me feel downhearted
when I get to thinking about
your being sick so much
and not seeming to gain any
either and if you should never
be any better what would 
become of me. I should be a 
wanderer in a wide world
no one to love or to love me not
careing where I went or what
I did. E.J’s marrying as she did
I am afraid will not let
her seem as she did before.
a curious fancy she must
have I never could see any
thing in him to love but if
she could I am glad for
marriage without love is
worse that to be in prison
all ones life time I think
You wished to know what
the No of your last letter was
the one I got this morning
should be 24 I think.
I think it is very pretty
country here one thing I
dont like that is there is
no sleighing to amount
to any thing. but my sheet
is most full and I will 
stop for this time. write as
often as you can and oblige your
ever true friend. James