[Written sideways on top of Scan 1]

I sent a furlough to
Head Quarters to be 
approved but it come
back with this order
no more furloughs 
for "A" Company
just as well I suppose
I should of been glad
to of went home 
but if I cant I
will stay here
and be contented
or try to be
the Boys from our way
are all well and
I never felt better
you said if I reenlisted
you wanted I should let
you know wall I will
do that I dont beleive I
shall reenlist if I do it wont
be till my time is out and
      then I wont      Othniel

     Camp 4th Mich.. Cavalry
	Doltawah Tenn  March 14th 1864

	    Monday morning and
I have just received a letter
from you you say you have not
received any mail from me and
you suppose the reason is because
I have not writen well I suppose
I am guilty of some things
that aint just as they should 
be I had writen two letters to
you in a short time nether of
which you have received I received
one from you the other day but
as I had just writen one I
neglected to answer it right of

but will try & make some
amends by writing now you
speak of having nice weather
in York well that is the kind
we are having here and have
had such all the time long
back Peach trees are in blossome
grass begins to look green and cold
weather is over with for this season
	we have had a quite
	           recruits
an addition of ^ to our company
thare is betwen five & six hundred
for our regiment forty three assigned
to our company how I do
pity the poor fellows only I dont
they wated just as long they
could and had to come at
last wall they have got quite
a lesson to learn
you spoke of seeing an account
of our forces falling back from
tunel Hill and wanted to
know if I was thare I was

not thare but should of been
only I had buisnes in camp
that day the regiment was thare
we had four men wounded
and lost about twenty horsses
two out of our company
it was not intended to hold
that place but only a feint 
to take the rebles attention
from other points our men drove
them just as far as they had
orders to and then come to camp
but not without some loss as
you see we are eighten miles from
Chattanooga near the Konoxville and
Chattanooga railroad we can go
out any day and find rebs..
enough to fight with and thare
is scouts out most every night
to see what is going on
and we have exersise enough to
keep us in good health thare
is hardly any sickness in our regiment now

I guess Frank thinks I have stoped
                you
writing to ^ or you or you to me
somebody dont mind their own busyness
very well I should. think by
what he said that he would
think I done well if I did
stop writing to you well I had
as lives he thought so as not
he knows better than to tell
me so right out I dont think
he means any harm to you
and perhaps not to me
how does  [Elmathan?] & Annis get
a long Frank is quite an
admirer of Annise thinks
she is about . O.K. and I dont
know anything to the contrary
I should think you had better
Burn this after reading and before
if you like let me know
how all the young folks
are getting along
			G.E.O.