[Written upside down on top of Scan 1]

I guess I will finish on another
sheet as thare is not quite roome on this

			Nov-19 /62
	10 miles South of Nashville
    Dear Lucy
	          I received yours of
3d to day it was handed to me
by our ordely while we ware standig
side of the road wating for a divisio
-n of the army to pass it was
raining fast & we ware wet and
felt a little sober (I would not have
you think we felt so much)
but getting your letter & one from
Helen at the same time [illegible in original]
me & I felt first rate rite of you
cant imagin the good a letter does
a soldier when of down here it will
cure him even if he is almost
ready to go to the Hospital.
we have been Camped at Nashville
for the last six days left thare
yesterday noon for silver Spring whare
the rest of our regiment was camped
                                   over

but we met part of them this
			 mete us
morning coming to [illegible in original] with orders
for us to go back so we turned
round & went back till we
found a good place to camp
and stoped for the night we
are camped right across the road
from Generals Jacksons old home
this place has not been tuched
by eather party everything is
held scacrid out of respect
for the General & his good deeds
& I hope it will remain so
to the end of the war
I had not seen or herd from
the boys from our neighborhood
for more than two weakes till
to day I saw part of them &
herd from the rest some of
them have been scick but are
now better except J. Blackman
he was in the Hospital at
		      know
Mitchville & I dont ^ how he
is getting along	over

Frank [Gooding?] left me at
Mumfredsville two weakes ago
last Sauterday I hered when
I got to Nashville that he
fell at of the ranks at
Bowling Green two days
after leveing me and went into
the Hospital and I have not hered
a word from him since I am
afraid he is thare scick our
Surgion says thare is none of
the 4th at that place if he is 
not thare I dont know whare he
can be I have no way of hering
from thare as the Rail Road is not
open yet to Nashville
you sent me an invite to a
		         I        l
husking Bee I guess ^ cou^d not
have come even if i had got
the word in time you better beleive
I would like to have been thare
may be you think that I dont
think of those that I have left
behind to come of down here but
you are mistaken [illegible in original] Love for
			over

those that I left behind & one of
them in paticular that promted
me to do as I have done & it is that
which keeps me in the right path
and I hope will till this war
closes for we all hope to return
but it aint very likely thre will
but a few of us live to see that day
[illegible in original] I am trying to live in that
way that let death over take me
whare it will I shall be ready [illegible in original]
and willing to go. and I hope
you are doeing the same I have
no doubt but what you are religios
is the same thing in camp that
it is anywhare else but some
are likely to get of the right [to ask?]
whare thare is no restraint & whare
the morals are no better than they
are in our regiment and I dont
kno but they are as good here as
any whar else in the army we have
not got an officer I guess not but
what uses proffain Language & but
a few privets in our company thare
is a few that think them selves
above it I might name them but I
guess it aint nessary and so I [wrot?]
this sheet of paper & envelop you sent to
me & now I will send it back. O.E.G

[Penciled in on top of Scan 5 [1862. Nov. 19] ]

you scolded a little because
I did not write to you offtener
the reason I have not wast for
the want of time we ware so
buisy while we ware at nashvill
that I did not have time to
write much I wrote one letter
home and that was all may
be you would like to no what
we ware doeing I good mind not
tell but dont no but I will
we ware out forging abot 100 of us
go out a horse back with from 15
to 20 teams following us after
feed for our horses we go to the
nerest Reble plantation we can
find and load the teams with
corn hay & oats or anything else
that we stand in need of when
we get the teams loaded we
take what ever we want in
     the shape of Sheep pigs poltry

honey Sweet poatoes or anything that
is good to eat some night we
fetch more than we need one night
we had 15 big Sheep & Some
chickens & a lot of honey I
dont know as you think this
is right but a good diner mak
-es a soldier feel good & it is no
more than the Rebles have done
to the union men whare
they have been the law [illegible in original]
it & that is enough we dont
have much chance to rest
on Sunday we are sure to
march Sunday if we lay still
monday we have most all of
us got to be good cooks dont
mind about washing our dishes
every time we eat as we eat of
from a clean board if we are
lucky enough to find one [illegible in original]
if not take it in our fingers
you wanted to no if Mrs
Dickerson was with us she is
& so is our Captains wife    over

     I have got tired of writing
but will tell you what kind
of a place I have to write
before I close and maybe
you will excuse the way this
this letter is writen our reg..
is camped back a quitee a pece
from the road and tow of us
are sent up to the road to
stope the teams when they come
up and show them the way to
camp we ware luckey enough to get
into an old blacksmith shop we build
a fire in the midle on the ground
and
[illegible in original] are as comfertable as yo plese
to night [illegible in original] I have had to write
this by fire light lying on a
board on the ground after 9 o'clock
in the evening but I can sleep
tomorow night and make up
lost time if thare is anny
I am very much obliged to you
for the paper you sent me and will

will let you know if I want
any more while we stay in
the parts I can get it & save
you the trouble of sending it
to me the letter I got to day
was just about the right length
should like to be bothered with 
such oftener I have had to write
this with a led pncel as I could
get no ink and you will do 
well if you can read it at all
I Shall write as often as I
can and you must do the sane
I have three letters from you before
the one I got to day and I
beleive I have writen 3 to
you before this since I left
Louisville	            Yours Truly
(my health is first rate)         Othniel
		Direct as before
(I have not forgoten the Sabbath evening
you spek of and guess I never shall)
you say you have taken a school to teach
this winter I no very well whare the school
house is should like to call in some day
and I will if uncle Sam will let me
go home quick enough	O.E. Gooding