Good News Mother we
	have just got out of a cage
		Knoxville Tenesee Dec 6th

	     	Dear Mother once more
    I seat myself to pen you
a few lines to let you know
that I am still alive and in
good health. I suppose you have
long ben looking for a letter
from me and wondering why
you did not get it but it
has ben impossible for me
to send mail for we have
been surrounded here with
Rebs for nearly three weeks
they have ben hauling around
our men like a pack of
hungry Wolves. thinking they 
wer going to take us all Prisoners
they made a charge on our Fort
last Sunday Morning at day light
and we killed over two hundred

of them and took as many 
Prisoners besides their Wounded
We got over Six hundred stand
of arms and set them flying
back again to their own side
and this morning we got up
and found them all gone they
Scadaddled in the night and
you may be sure we are all
very glad of that for we have
ben living on very small 
rations for some time but
shall get a plenty now and
thanks to God that we can 
get news from home soon
it seems as if I had not
heard from you in six months
and I do hope this will find
you all as well as I am
you need not worry about
me for I never enjoyed better
health than I do now
it is fine weather here now

	I hope it will keep as
	good weather all Winter as
it is now. we have lost
    four men Wounded and [illegible]
taken Prisoners in the late
[muss?] we have ben in
one of the Wounded men the
Dr. thinks cannot live. and
the others are doing well I will 
give their names
    S. L. Smith wounded in the
head with piece of shell from
our own gun dangerous.
James. Armstrong, wounded
in leg. leg amputated
John Benjamin flesh wound
in the right arm
William [Cannon?] flesh wound
in right arm. and the
two taken Prisoner wer
Edson Conrad, and
Marcus D. Curtis they wer taken
from the scurmish line

last Sunday Morning
I have given their names 
so Will Shaw can see if he is
Home yet. also all [crossed out] [friend]
who have friends in the
8th .. well Mother you
will think this a curious 
letter but I have written
it in a great haste as the
Mail is about to start
and I want to get it off
for I know you want to hear
from me tell all friends
I am doing fine am as
tough as wer if I have
ben living on one meal
a day tell Sarah I will
write as soon as I can to her
I shall write to you in a few
days again Please write often
I remain as ever your
Affectionate Son
My Mother             B.F. Marsh