[Written sideways on top of Scan 1]

It is almost the 4th of July
one would think it was the
fourth here all the time
night and day to hear thee
guns I suppose you will
try to enjoy yourself in some 
way Hat I suppose will
take a ride with some good
looking chap well she has
my best wishes if her
tears are the color of those
on that paper she need
not shead many for me
I dont [illegible in original] no how to fill this
up has your Father got any
better Health than when I was
at Home let me no how
you get along
How is Abe & Andy in
Mich.. I dont vote for
them    Truly Yours   Othniel

[Written upside down on top of Scan 1]

My best respects to all friends

[Written on left-hand side of Scan 1]

I wish I was
down to [Brooks?]
this evening guess
I could eat more
Sugar than I did
when I was thare

	near Noon day Creek Ga..
	(no 8 or 9 dont no whch) June 30th 1864
	Dear Lucy (I have rec 10 from you)
			I have a little
spare time and will improve it
by writing to you I received
your letter maild the 21st on othe
28th the mail come in tonight
but, brought no letter for
me we are having fighting all
the time some whare along our line
& we are in hearing of the guns
all the time and have been for
the last two weeks our regiment

has not lost any men since the 20th
I wrote you something about that
we are just back of the Int..
Brest Works last night the Rebels
tride to break through our lines
but ware repulsed the first I
heard of it one of the boys
say Ott wake up and hear the
fireing and shure enough they ware
at it five of our sieage guns
ware playing on them & the heavvist
				     y
musketry I have ever heard
I staid awake a few minuts
but thought they would sound
Boots & Saddls quick enough so I went
to sleep again & this morning
I heard the result the ground
was covered with Reble dead
our loss was slight for our men
struck in the works
                 is
our army are losing some men every day
and some days two thousand come in day
the Hospital at Big Shanty

it is rather a hard sight to see
them the weather is very warm &
no one can imagin how they suffer
yet you hear no complaint from
any one the Rebs are holding a range
of hills in our front & seam
likely to for a while yet but
I guess Sherman will stick a
while yet. we have been a resting
for a number of days but I have
had no time to write the ordely
was just around and said the
mail would go out in the morning
& it is now most dark
I saw James D to day he was down
to the company to muster he stays
at Brigade Com.. [illegible in original] now days he was
well Frank is not well has been
aling for a number of days I hope
he is not a going to be scick
for this is rather a toughr place
Davis I have not seen he is at
[Culiaka?] Tenn dont think I Shall see

him very soon Tom & myself have always
been first rate Friends
you wanted to no if had got [illegible in original]
over that cough I have was clear of
it in less than a week after I got
back I am well never felt better
can eat my rations of hard Bread
& Bacon I wish you could 
see some of it the Bacon I mean
the Boys say it moves around
if anyone is hungry it is good enough
we do our own cooking & washing in our company
the other day I thought I would wash my shirt
as I had not had time very lately but just
as I got it well wet boots & Saddls Blew
so I had to roll it up wet and dry
it the next day maybe you would
think it did not look well but it
looks well enough hear we arnt so
hard to please as some folks
candle light seated under a big tree
this is a nice evening warm enough
no mosquetoes I have not seen one
this year the Ordely sits close to me
writing but wont tell who he is writing
to & so of course I wont tell
I wish this war was done with and then
I should not have so much letter writing
to do it is [illegible in original] I do not like
but I dont see a very good prospect
guess it will take another year and
longer I tell you the Rees down here fight
as though they ment it

[Written on the right-hand side of Scan 4]

we get the war news here papers come in to day dated the 27th