Camp of 8th Mich. Vols
		Blains Cross Roads
			Tenesee Dec 22nd

    Dear Mother
		  I am happy to say
the present date finds me enjoying
good health. I think this is a very
healthy Country. I never have had
better health in any state than this
it is very rough and hilly with a
plenty of good water. I suppose you
think I have almost forgotten you
but not so I think of you as often as
I ever did but it has ben so I could
not write more for some time but
our Knapsacks have just come up
to us again so I will write you a
sort of a letter. I hope you will not
feel uneasy about me. for I am
all sound and intend to keep so
we have ben having a very hard
time down here but I trust it
is about over now for we are gett-
-ing rather better Rations now

some days we have had to live
on Parched Corn and [pannded?] corn
you would laugh to see the Boys
work with an old rag and axx
to Pound corn for their dinner
but it all went on cheerfull
for it is all for the Glorious Union
I received a letter from you a few
days ago and was very happy to hear
from you. your letters are always
welcome here with me. as for Mrs.
Hathaways Boy I have seen him
a number of times he was well
the last time I saw him. also
the Kesler Boys. and Horace Warren
But I have understood that he
has ben taken Prisoner since
I recd a letter from Augustus
a few days since it was written
the 12th of Nov But Sarah inform-
-ed me in her last letter that he 
was at Home on Furlough,
I am [glad?] to hear that and should
like to do so myself but as we
are situated here it is impossible
to get a Furlough Approved

and it would take me 30 days
to get Home and that would not
pay. But Mother Keep up good courage
thare is Better times comeing
    We have the News here that the
9th A.C. is going back into Ky.
again and if that is so we can hear
from each other often. I have
got those files you sent me and have
made one ring with them they suit
me all right. the dried fruit I
am saving for my Christmas
Dinner… so you see I am going
to have some Sauce for my
dinner I am sorry to hear that
Sarah is so Wild and thoughtless I do
wish she would steady down and
conduct herself [crossed out] [link] like a Lady
for I want when I come Home 
to find her a true Lady that
I can feel Proud of. if she
only will I will make her a
nice Presant before long, but if
I should come Home and find a
her a Wild flirt of a thing I
could not feel like giving her

anything. you said you had a letter
from GrandPas [Foks?] I am glad of
that. I have written to them twice and
recd only one from them. I have
ben looking for one from them
now a long time. Now Mother Please
dont think that your letters are Poor
and Worthless to me. for they are not
they are very Precious to me Perhaps
it is because I Burn them that you
think they are Poor. But it is because 
I cannot carry them. I would like,
to keep them all But it is impossible
for me to do so.
	Now as for the Boys of 
Fenton they are well such as
Dewitt, Spaulding. B.F. and EH. Sawyer,
 Wm Cale and George B. Carnes
he has just joined the Regt he
is as fat as a Pig.
      Oh Mother I hear the 10th Mich are
within four miles of here and I
I think I shall goe down to see
them tomorrow if I can find them
Now I guess that will do so I will
Bring this to a close Give my Respects
to all Friends Love to yourself and
Sarah. I remain as ever your Affectionate
Son              B Frank Marsh