(First of two letters from 'H.N.G.' who was evidently in the Third Minn. Inf'y.)
Nashville, Tenn. April 1st, 1862.
Dear Friend,
I received your kind letter of the 18th day before yesterday and will answer it now as I have a favorable opportunity.
We are in camp at just outside the city & in a very pleasant (place) close by a large spring that once supplied a part of the city with water. It is much pleasanter than any other place we have been in before, but we shall not stay here long as we expect to go to the city in a few days as Gen. Dumont's body guard. He has had men out examining the regiments and they said our regiment was the healthiest and best regiment in Tennessee. Morgan has sworn vengeance on Dumont and family; he has to have his residence guarded all of the time.
Morgan is supposed to be inside our pickets with thirty or forty men in disguise.
He seems to go where he has a mind. He has been in here with his cavalry and run off the tract and blew up all the cars between here and Bowling Green. They have just commenced running again. I presume you have seen an account of it in the papers.
We left Louisville the nineteenth in boats. We were four days coming. Had a very pleasant journey though it was rather cold. We slept at Ft. Donelson as we came up the Cumberland and went over the fort and entrenchment's. I was lame and did not go out where the hardest battle was fought.
I hurt my knee wrestling so that I was not able to do any duty for three weeks.
I did not have a very hard time of it however as I could rest and write at my leisure. The weather here is very fine.
We have had no unpleasant weather since we arrived her. The trees are all leaving out and spring has set in earnest.
I am on guard duty today and have not time to write any more now except this short letter from your sincere friend.
H.N.G.
