[Written sideways on top of Scan 1]

we belong to the
2d divison 1st Brigade
& 14th army corps
the divison is coman-
-ded by Gen.. 
Gerrard, our Brigade
by Minty it 
is alled the 
Spencer divison
as it is armed
with the Spencer
Rifle an carbine
	O.E.G

the mail has
just come but
none for me

	Camp near shell Mound. Ga..
		May 7th 1864
     Dear Lucy
		once more I
will write you a few lines
we come into camp last evening
at this place 21 miles from
chattanooga we supposed we
ware agoing thare but we have
just received orders to draw
six days rations & turn over
all disabled horsses and be
ready for a long march
I guess we are going in
the rear of the Rebs if we

can get thare our new recruits
are all playing out out of
about 40 we have only about
15 that are worth keeping
I dont think thare will be
as many as that if we
have a hard ride
this is the fourth Letter I
have written to you since I
left Mich.. I received one
before I left Columbia but
none since
last night after we got into
camp we had a visitor he
said he was the man that
married the widow Wardle he
belongs to the Engineres regement
		         with
I was not acquainted and
him and as I had never
heard any good of him did
not want to be I presume
you know more of him
than I do

I should think they ware
making great preperrations for
a forward movenet for they
are crowding everthing in the
shape of soldiers to the front
we have a larger army in
Chattanooga now than ever before
I have not much more time
to write and cant think
of much to write thare is
everthing going on a round
me thare is a cloud of
dust coming into my tent
which is minus the door
and dont reach to the ground
on the sides and the ends
aint stoped up at all
the Boys from out way are
all well and fell well
if you write to me it
wont make much odds whare
you direct to to Nashvill as well
as any whare           Othniel