Nashville Tenn Feb 3rd 1864 
Respected Brother Wm 
              Your kind letter of the 
24th of last month came to hand in due time 
It was with pleasure that I perused its contence 
I was glad to learn that you were all well may the 
Blesing of God continue to rest upon you & may his 
goodness & long forbearance cause your hearts to 
  in 
flow out to Him ^ Gratitude & Thanksgiveing 
We had Some very Snug wether here about the 
first of January Say for about two weeks Since 
which time it has been very mild we have had 
Some little rain a day or two ago but now it has 
Cleared up & we have fair Sunny weather 
Brother you Say that you would be more pleased 
to See me & hear me relate Some of my experience 
Since I became a Soldier Indeed Brother it 
           be 
would ^ gratifying to me to See you all but I cannot 
See any prospect of our Seeing eachother yet a while
 Morris Lickly George Courser D H Barber 
& Mr Porter with others arrived here last Saturday 
they expect to get into business in this Citty 
Andrew Crandell has been with us for about 
two weeks he Seems to be takeing things cool 
which is the best way for the Soldier to fret  
& worry does not help out much here The only 
way to get along Smoothly is to think that every 
thing is going along right do Just as you are 
ordered & no more for to do more is as much a fault 
as [crossed out] [to] not to come up to orders 
well William I commenced this letter this 
morning but had to put it aside it is now 5 oclock 
in the afternoon I have Just been over where 
Morris Mr Barber & George Courser are at work they 
they commenced work this morning they Seem 
to feel pretty well     There is no reliable news from 
the front rumor Says there has been Some Cavalry 
engagements in which the Rebbs got worsted but 
it is not authenticated yet   I think that when 
those Reg't which have enlisted in the Veteran Army
& have gone home on forlough get back the Rebbs 
will have to hunt their holes 
now I have written about all that I can think of 
I am well So are all the Boys from our parts 
we Still remain in Nashville but how Soon we 
may be ordered away I cannot tell 
 
Brother what a blessed hope is the Christins hope 
        hope 
which ^ we have both Sure & Steadfast & is as an anchor 
to the Soul Says the Apostle Seeing we are also comp 
-assed above with So great a cloud of witneseses let us 
lay aside every weight & the Sin that doth So 
easily beset us & let us run with patience the race 
that is Set before us looking unto Jesus who is the 
Author & finisher of our Faith 
From your Brother in Arms 
James Lickly 
[Penned in] 
Wm 
older brother of [illegible] ^ Lickley 
    Class of [illegible] Ralphs Lickleys uncle 
Father Wm Lickley 
 
To Wm Lickley
I have gone up to Dave [illegible] 
I will be back before long