Benton Barracks
Feb, 9, 1862

Dear Parents,
	I received
yours of the third, tho
is morning and was
very happy to hear
from you and to hear
that you was all well,
and more than all. It
pleased me to hear of
that our company had
ben in battle, the 
greatest battle that we
have fought is with
fleas and lice, that John
Ackerson shot that spy
is falce, I wish that you
would try and
find out
who started
that report I
think that I know but
I [illegible] not positive
You will. (before this has
reached you) have heard 
of the fall of Fort Henry
this is considered one
of the most importaint
events of the campaign
and it is surely one
grand blow at the down
fall of Columbus
in all probability we
shall be in Kentucky
in less than three weaks
two regiments of our
brigade has gon [illegible]
The Benton [illegible] and
Curtis horse have gon
the Curtis horse left
this morning and next
will go the Michigan regi
ments and that shortly
thare is quite a contrast
here now to what thare was
tow months ago then thare
was some twenty thousand
men here now thare only
three regiments and four
batterys of artillery, thay
have had to reduce the 
number of guards about
one hundred thare is
not men enough to do
the guard and other duty
and keep up the drill
The health of the boys
is very good, thare has
but twenty died out of our
regiment and that is noth
ing considering. you can 
not get 12 hundred men
thare to home but that thare
would that many die
Mr Bordan has ben
sick some time but he
is more home sick than
any thing else, the boys
from that part are all 
doing first rate
Please write as soon as
you get this for if you
delay we may not be here
No more at present
     Yours as ever
Harrison Traphagen