Head Quarters,
Com. A, Fourth Reg. Michigan Vol. Cav.
     Camp, Baird near Salem Tenn July 24th 1863

     Dear Lucy
		I received two letters
on
^ the 22d one mailed the 14th comin
with the morning mail & one
mailed the 9th by the evening
mail. I was glad to here
from you for I had not
had any maile in two week
your letters come just as we
ware going into camp the regt
had just come in from a scout
of nine days I did not go
with them for my horse gave
out we moved from our camp
at Winchester to this place as soon

we heard the regiment was a
coming we have been cleaning up
our camp & the prospect is that
we shall stay here a number
of days we are right in the
thick woods & it is a mighty nice
place. I wrote you a letter when
we ware camped on the Bank of
Elk River the 9th and one the 17th
when we ware at Winchester
I dont beleive you get all
the letters I write to you I
have writen whenever I have had
a chance a goodeal of the time
lately thare has been no chance 
to send letters I hope you
will keep writing I dont think
I have received all the letters
you have writen to me I hope
[the?] we shall not have to stay
down here a great while longer
I dont no but it seems to me

that the Rebles are nearly whipped
out I hope so for I would like
to come home & then letter writing
would be done with I should
not care if the mail did not
come through quite so often
our Boys had a great time
down in Ala on this last scout
they went after Negroes horses and
mules they got a good lot
of horses and about five hundred
negroes a darck looking mess of
them they onley took what wanted
to come a good many close to
stay whare they ware peaches are
ripe and our boys got any
quantity of them som orcherds
have tow or three hundred bushel
in then the owners wanted a guard
         over
placed ^ [illegible in original] then our Gen.. told them
the boys would not eat any more
than they wanted of them that was the answer 
					he got

I was a little supprised to here
you war teaching school I should
think you ware driving business
rather hard to teach summer
& winter I wish you all the
good luck you can possibily have
I suppose you have to scold some
or cant you scold I dont know
for I never heard you
our paymaster has come again
& I suppose we shall get some
more Green Backs tommorrow that
will make high old times in
camp I guess I shant get
drunk this time dont know
as it will make much [addo?]
as I am so far from Some
the boys from our town are all
well I heard from [Gust?]..
the other day he is all right
and wanted to come to the regiment
To the School marm      Othniel