[Written upside down on top of Scan 1]

why dont you go to my Home and see how the
folks get along I guess they would be glad to
see you any time

[Written on left side of Scan 1]

write often let me no all that is going on & a little more

				           March
     Camp Minty nere Murfreesboro Tenn 27

	Dear Lucy    I received your
	   letter this afternoon I began
to think you had forgoten to write
but I see you are all right you
will get another letter from me
before you get this I sent one
the 16th I am all right and
fell about as well as a soldier's
generly does dont think I enjoy
myself any better than I could 
if I ware at Home it wont
do to think to much of Home
		   make
if one does it will ^ him homescick
Angle went to the Hospital a
number of days ago he was pretty
bad of. but so as to be around
most of the time he keeps up
first rate courage we have been
paid up to the first of Jan.. so that he has money
enough				over

if the Boys keep getting scick I
shall be left alone here. they are
most all gone now that come from
our neighborhood Davis & Simmons are
here yet and well but you know
about as I do but enough of that
we heard yesterday that Luther -
Merritt was Dead I saw him when
I was in Nashville last I was
in hopes he would get his discharge
& go Home it seams it was not
   luck
his ^ to do so he was a good soldier
& one that was thought a goodeal of
in the Company you dont know
nor cant immagin how some of
our soldier suffer in the Hospitals
I hope it wont be so a great
while longer I dont See much
prospect of the war closing ten
      ago
days ^ the prospect looked good for

the army's advancing but now
the prospect is that we shall
fall back but I guess not
a great ware the Rebles are
crowding up pretty close and
some one will get hurt if
they aint carefull I beleive
we have had one little skirmish
with then Since I wrote to you
thare was one Brigade of Infantry
out about 15 miles old Morgan
thought he would capture it
but he fond out he had
undertaken quite a job and
our Brigade was sent out as
reenforcements we went most all
the way as fast as our Horsses
could run but the Boys had
got them to runing before we
got thare and all we done
was to hurry them up a little
our forces lost 12 killed & 30 wounded

[Written upside down on top of Scan 4]

I am glad to hear that Ans has got
to come back a little worry for him
but the way of the transgressor is hard
I dont think thare is much danger of Ben Davis coming back
he is to much of a coward for that

it is a hard sight to see
men killed & wounded the way
I have seen them here & I hope
there will be a stop put to it
before long but dont see much prospect
Lucy you must enjoy your self
the best you can for the prospect
looks dark for my ever seeing
Mich.. thare is so many getting
killed & a great many more dying
in the Hospitals if we go on
for 3 years lossing men as we
have so far thare will be no
one left to tell what become
of them. I am glad to hear you
are not agoing to teach school this
summer keep up good spirits
& dont get the blues I guess you think
  have the blues
I ^ feel so or will think so after reading
		have not
this letter but I ^ dont) write a longer
	    time
letter next ^ do. wont you.  Othniel