Abraham Letters

DATE	WRITTEN FROM	TO
Nov 24, 1861	Camp Hughes	Lydia
Feb 16, 1862	Camp Alexander	Lydia
Mar 26, 1862	New Madrid, Missouri	Lydia
May 6, 1862	Unknown	Lydia
Jun 14, 1862	Corinth Mississippi	E.E. Spainhower
Jun 17, 1862	Corinth, Tishaminga Co., Mississippi	Lydia
Jun 21, 1862	Camp Clear Creek, Mississippi	Lydia
Aug 1, 1862	Camp Clear Creek Mississippi	Lydia
Aug 20, 1862	Camp near San Jacinto, Mississippi	Lydia
Sep 16, 1862	Camp at Rienzi, Mississippi	Lydia
Oct 12, 1862	Camp near Corinth, Mississippi	Lydia

I take the presant oportunity of writing you a few lines in order to let you know that I am well at this time. Hoping these may find you all well. I have entirly got shot of the cold and horseness that I had when I left home. I feel just as well now as ever I did. We are here housed up pretty close. The most of us have stoves in our shanties and we are pretty comfortable situated. The most of us writing letters today.

Lydia if you can get a pretty spell of wether to come in I would like you would come up to camp before I come home but I dont want you to expose yourself to come in bad wether. I expect if nothing hapens to come home next Saturday week. There has nothing strange ocured in camp since the boys had there fuss in Gosport of which you have probably heard. I was not in the scrape but I had like to have been. I guess they had an ugly time. The man that got stabed will likley die yet at least they say so.

It is reported here in camp that we are to get our uniforms next Thursday. That we are to be examined on next Tuesday but we hear as near everything and anything as the mind of man could immagion. I have little faith in reports hear and I am not surprised at anything. There is about two hundred men here in camp now and the two hundred men belong to five companies. There are two companies that about 8 or 10 men each. Since the fuss at Gosport we are kept a heap closer. We are not alowed to go outside of camp without a written pass. Though I git to go whenever I want to. We go on dress parade every evening at four oclock. There is but one man sick in our company that is Mitchel Moris. I am now sitting over him, writing this letter and he is growing very bad. I reported him on the sick list this morning and the doctor is tending on him. I have nothing more of importance to write now. I want you to write me on receipt of this without fail unless you are comeing up to camp for I feel anxious to hear from home though dont think me somesick for I am not. So no more. I remain as ever your afectionate husband.
Abraham Slough, Jr.

I this eavening take pen in hand to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time hoping this may reach you and find you all well. I can inform you that we left Camp Hughes on the knight after you left us at two oclock a.m. and took the cars at three oclock and we had a fine time on the road and I saw some of the most chearing seans I ever saw in my life. Almost every man woman and child on the road after daylight cheared us most hartely. Eaven little children would wave their hats and handkerchys and seemed to greet us with joy, seeming fully consious that we were going to try to secure for them the blessings of liberty and an independant government.

We arrive at New Albany about three oclock of the eavening after we started. We then marched through some of the most principle streets being folowed by thousands of citizins composed of men women and children until we marched back of the city where we struck our tents in the outskirts of town. We number about six hundred and forty hear besides the sick we left. How long we will stay here I have no idea. I do not think we will stay more than ten or twelve days and where we will go I have no idea. We are atatched to General Buels division and I think of course well go into Kentucky.

The day after we came here there was eleven hundred troops landed from Michigan being the 13th regiment from that state. They are encamped by our side and you had better know we have a merry time. We got the news this eavening that the Secessionists had all left Bowling Green leaving the town in ashes. The report is also curant here that there is four of the most prominent Generals surrounded in Kentucky including Generals Buckner and Johnson and they are now fighting. They have killed of our men some 25 and wounded 130. Our forces have silenced three of there guns and no dout by tomorrow will secure everything. Every indication seems to be altogether favorable for a speedy termination of this rebelion.

I went up on a hill close to camp yesterday and saw about 2 miles of Louisville. Lieutenant Hyden and myself are tented together and Jacob Fiscus is our cook and now let me tell you I am just suited. Our tent is more comfortable than our tents was at Camp Hughes. The boys are not as comfortable situated. There is from14-16 in one of them round tents and they are awfuly crowded. We have had some of the coldest wether here that I have felt this winter. The snow is about three inches deep but a fair prospect today for pretty wether. I must come to a close for want of room and because it is bed time. Write imediatly on receipt of this direct to Camp Alexander, Co A 59th reg Ind Vol New Albany Indiana. I remain

It is with pleasure that I seat myself at this time to write to you in answer to your kind letters the last of which I received last eavening. I received them acording, to Scripture your first letters I got last and last letters I got first and let me tell you the first letter I got of all the proud fellows you ever saw I was one of them. I tell you the truth when I say that I had three trials before I could finish reading the letter, not because of any bad writing for I can read your letters straight along but I just became filled with joy, so that I had to have three trials. Cap was the same way with the first letter he got from home. But enough of this for the moment. I can inform you that I am well and harty though I have not gained my strength yet. I went out to drill this fore noon and was not able to hold out but I think in a few days I will be as stout as ever. And I do hope that this may reach you soon and find you all well and in good spirits. I can inform you that there is several of the boys of our Co. that is quite sick. Jacob Fiscus is just able to do our cooking. I do not know what is the mater with him. He has some fever and night sweats and just seems to ge getting weeker all the time. William J. Mounts will not stand it a great while longer unless he takes a turn for the better, though he is still up. But Lydia this is a hard place for a sick man. May the Lord preserve me from sickness until I get back home our doctors are not worth anything. They cant tell or dont care when a man is sick. The other day the marched a man on duty and the next night he died.

I can inform you Lydia that our Regiment came here under very bad circumstances. We came to New Albany not haveling more than about six hundred men in it when it takes 840 men for a Regiment. We were then reported to General Buel by our Colonel as a well drilled Regiment. We were on that account sent immediately into active service. We came over here and into Missouri and offered our services to a brigade or rather was sent to a brigade and when they saw us trying to drill they would have nothing to do with us. We were then sent to another brigade and here we are undisiplined without a full Regiment and what they are going to do with us I cannot say. But this I know that when there is any active service to do we are about the first Regiment called upon and thank fortune we have made our mark our field officers makes against us. Since Ajutant Lee left us we have no officers that knows anything, neither do they try to inform themselves. Archer is our Adjutant now and Add Bartholomew is our First Lieutenant.

This morning they are fighting again at Island No. 10. I hear their cannon nearly all the time while I am writing this letter. There is an old man that lives close to out camp that says that if our forces succeed in whiping them out at Island No. 10 it will nearly close the war. But I can not say as to that. I still firmly believe that we will be at home by the 4th day of July next for reasons that I could give but it would take too much space and time. One thing is certain, the war is ruining the Rebels own country.

Now a few words about the wether in this part of the country. We are here about two hundred and fifty miles due south of you and I think I never saw a more backward spring iu our country. Today is the first day that looks much like spring. Since the time I wrote to you from Benton there has been nothing like sugar wether here if there was any trees. But today is pretty as you ever saw. We have just as nice a place to camp as any need of. We are in the center of a large farm, that is nearly as level as a house floor and the ground is so sandy that it never gets mudy. I wrote a letter to Messer a few days ago and told him to let you hear it. I hope he will do so. I wrote in that letter for you to send me some postage stamps if you get this letter before you send - you need not send unles you want to for I met with the luck yesterday, to get seven and that straped me. But you need not send me any news unless you have plenty for their is nothing here to spend money for unless it is paper and stamps unless you go to the sutter and that I dont do much of.

I was glad to hear that you had sold Frank the way you did. I am in hopes you will try and take things easier. I want you to be sure and take good care of yourself, I want you to tell Syrena and Lina and Sary that I want them to be sure and take the heavy house work off your hands and the out work I want you to make your hired hands do.

I want you to tell me in your next letter whether you have ever got any money from Gatitty of old White since I left. Tell me whether you have ever heard from Taylor or not.

I can inform you that I have never yet had an oportunity to have my likeness taken nor do I expect to unless we go down the Mississippi. When we get to Memphis then I will send you my likeness. There is some talk of us having to stay here a good while but there is no telling how long we may stay here. We may stay two months and then we may not stay till tomorrow morning. Such is the uncertanty of an Army.

Now with regard to Father and Mother writing to me I want you to give yourself no uneasiness about their writing to me about you for if they do I am sertain they will never want to write again. All I want you to do is for you to do your duty which I have no doubt you will do and let your neighbors know that you have done your duty to the old folks and that is all. I will again have to come to a close. I want you when you write to me write a big letter like me though I have the advantage of you. I have secesh paper to write on and a plenty of it and you have none but I want you to get foolscap paper to write on and I want you to give me all the news that is any ways interesting and be sure and write as much as one letter a week if not more.

Give my love to all. I remain as ever your loving husband and shall remain so until Death.

Direct your letter - New Madrid, Missouri, Co. A 59th Reg Ind Vol in care of Cap. McNaugh

*Please note: I cannot find the beginning of this letter. Only the 2nd transcribed page is here.

and told them that if he lost this Battle he would give it up. It is the general opinion here that this battle will wind up our services.

We have here now about two hundred and eighty thousand men. This is reliable for I got it from an officer that ought to know.

Now Lydia since I comenced this letter I have got two letters from you, one of the 19th and the other of the 25th April. I was rejoiced to get them. I am now satisfied that it is not your fault that I dont get more letters. I expect I will get all the letters you write me but they are coming clike Christmas awful slow but I am satisfied it is not your fault. I also got a letter from Messer. I cannot answer his letter today and I understand our letters cannot get out by male and it is only that one of our boys is discharged and is going home that I can get this to you and I expect without an axident this will be the last till after the fight. The two deserters that came to us says there is two or three regiments in the Secesh camp at Corinth that declar they will not fight against us and they have to be guarded.

Lydia I aprehend no danger and I want you to be certain to give yourself no useasiness about me for I expect to come home again. Today is just three months since I saw you and I am not homesick yet and I dont think I will as long as you get along as well as you have so fare. In your last letter you wrote to me how good your neighbors are to you. I can but regoice at such news and can but return to them my sincear thanks and hart felt gratitude for their kindness and if I am preserved to return I will try to repay.

Lydia the wether here now is just about as warm as you ever felt in your life though the nights are cool. We are in a very healthy country well watered but the land is just as poor as Jobs turky. There is lots of pine trees here. I have chowed pine rosun. Yesterday I went with the boys out on picket for the first time and I only got to go this time because the whole regiment went.

Lydia I have not heard but I expect you have got your money I sent home. I want you to be sure and keep anough to use yourself both for cloathing and good vituals. I want you to live at home and bord at the same place and have sugar on your claber. I would now give 25 cents for a quart of milk. I will have to close on the other side. Tell Messer I have got 3 letters from him and I am still one letter ahead of him. Tell him I want him to keep writing to me for your letters will come here to us without hindrence but ours cant go out till after this battle which I think will not be long.

I want you to do as you have done. Write to me once or twice a week. I think I will geet the letters some time. Lydia this leaves me in the best of health. My breast and stomache seem to be entirely well and I think this climate suits me. So no more at presant. I remain as ever your loving husband until Death.

I this eavening seat myself to write you a few lines in answer to your kind letter which came duly to hand yesterday eavening and which I was glad to receive for any news from my friends at home is interesting to me. I can inform you that I am well and harty for which I truly feel thankful to the Great Being for His mercies to me for I feel expecially protected by Him for I see numbers of men that went into the army when I did that have failed and some of them gone to there long homes that were men of superior constitutions to that of myself. I also hope when these few lines may reach you they may find you all enjoying good health and in fine spirits.

Dear sir I can say to you that I have seen a good many ups and downs since I saw you. I have seen the horrors of war in several of its ways but one think I can say that is I never have regretted being in the service of my country and although it has been a breaking up for the time being of home society and enjoyments of family and friends, yet if I am spaired to return home I shal feel myself amply paid.

Today we got the news of the evaculation of Fr. Pillow and the naval fight before Memphis and the surender of the city of Memphis to our authorities and the ocupation of Jackson the capital of this state by our forces but we are anxiously weyhting to hear of a desision of matters at Richmond. Should our forces gane a victory through an engagement I do not think the war can last longer than fall or next winter but ther is no telling how long this war may be protracted. I do think we could have taken fifty or sixty thousand prisoners probebly with less mortality than there is likley to be by sickness down here in this Southern climate. I will have to see something yet that I am ignorant of if I am made to think that the proper steps were taken here at Corinth. We are ordered into line to move our camp and I will have to quit writing for the presant.

Well Edwin we are in our new camp about a mile from whare we left. We are in a broken stony country with plenty of pine timber all around us and we have a plenty of as good water as ever run out of the earth. I am still well and harty. The only objections I have to staying here (for I should not be surprised if we stay here all summer) is there are too many troops here close together and the wether is too intolerable hit. I have no corect way of knowing the degree of heat here as we have no thermometers but I would not be surprised if mercury would not rase to 100 in the shade where I am sitting writing this but the knights are invariable cool amost too cold for comfort. We have heard of no decisive moove at Richmond yet. Everyone feels anzious. Yesterday we got papers of the 11th. We are today anxiously looking for papers of the 12th. Papers are eagerly sought for and 10 cents paid for each number. We get any kind we want but they are generally four or five days old before we can get them. This I think will soon be remedied for our men are repairing the railroads north of this as fast as posible and as soon as they are completed we can have direct railroad communication. We can then get your letters in a few days while now it takes them ten or twelve days to come to us and from what I learn ours scarcly even come to you at home at all. For I generally write one to two a week to Lydia and from her letters to me I am certain the letters do not go reagurally. I am indeed sorry for you. I would like my folks to hear from me as often as posible. I can inform you that we have drawn no clothes since we left Gosport and you had better believe we are nagged anough but I expect we will draw new clothes before many days. We will also draw two months pay before many days. On the 28th day of this month we will have four months pay due us but we will get our two months pay just before the next two months pay is due, so that two months pay is held back as long as posible.

I will have to desist from writing any more at presant not but what I could fill this but there is the least satisfaction for me to undertake to write a letter of any body else for I can get to write but three or four lines before I have to stop and attend to some business. Of all the officers in the army the 1st Sergt has the hardest for the amount of pay they get.

I want you to let Lydia see this letter. I will start a letter to her tomorrow or next day. I got a letter from Messer yesterday I will answer in a few days being permited. Answer this as soon as you get it and I will try to keep up a communication. Excuse my bad hand write form we have to write just as we can without a table or anything but our knees to write on. I must quit for the presant. Give my respects to all my old friends and accept the same.

                                                                                      Army in the field near Corinth,
                                                                                      Tishaminga, Co., Mississippi
                                                                                      June 17th, 1862

I again this morning take the oportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am yet well and harty for which I yet truly feel thankful. Hoping at the same time with all my hart that this may reach you and find you all in the same state of health. Lydia your letter of the 4th inst. came to hand a few days ago and was like all the rest gladly received. You say in that letter that you cant write long letters like I can from the fact that you have no interesting news. Now let me say to you that any little occurance about home is just as much news to me as a large occurance here would be to you but let that matter be as it may. Just write all you can and I will be content. Well Lydia we are here encamped about a mile from where we were when I last wrote to you. We are encamped on hard broken ground with the best of springs all round us also plenty of fine trees about us. I will in this letter send you a few leaves of our pine. I expect we are in as healthy part as there is in this state. How long we may have to stay here I cannot tell but I expect we will stay here a good while. Lydia it is out of the question for me to get a furlough to get to come home tha last of the month as I would like to have done.

But Lydia I want you to keep in good hart--bare up under all the trials and troubles that may suround you and the Great Being being my helper I will again at some time live in the enjoyments of your society at home. Your letter to me stated that you understand a general engagement had comenced on the Thursday before you wrote. I have no doubt you have been better informed before this time. You stated you was uneasy about me. Now I want you not to alow yourself to get so if posible. I was scarcly any danger in all the seage at Corinth except on the 28th when we got into a skirmish the time Will Dyar got wounded. I heard from Will last evening and I guess there is no chance for him to get well. Speaking of Will I will say something about some of the rest of the sick boys here.

A.W. Midleton is sick nearly all the time. Cal Nationa can scarcly creap and getting worse all the time. David Kent is just wasting away all the time. The doctors do him nor do I think they do any body else any good. This puts me in mind of your request that you wanted to know how our officers did. Now Lydia if it had been any other person that had made that request I would not answered it but I feel myself in duty bound to answer any question you may ask me and in so doing to tell you the truth as near as I can.

I will commence with our Second Lieut. Add dont know scarcly anything about milatary afairs and is honest anough to acknolidge it. He is sure overbearing and has not got the good will of the company.

Lieut. Hyden is a gentleman and is respected by all and looked upon as an acomplished officer. J.W. Archer is now on General Buforts staff and I do think a first rate fellow although he had his enemies before he came in the army and they cant forget. Capt McNaught in the estimation and in the eyes of his company is scarcly any whare the men of his own Co. have no more confinence in his word than you would have in Manuel Fulk though Cap is good to me and it is only that you have requested it that I say anything. We have a good Adugant Ormer is his name. Lt. Lolonel Scott is an aficient officer and a gentlemen. Now comes out Colonel. I fear he is just what you feards, he was a bad egg. I thing his military knowledge very limated and I thing his love for the regiment is the same. I do know on a march he has his niggers to ride his horses while poor sick soldiers and that of his own regiment have to walk. I could say a great many more things of which I hope to do personally. Now for our General. Lydia if we ever have another boy in our family I am going to have him called Beaufort. I can tell you just who he put me in mind of and that is old Father Elensworth. Only if any odds General Beaufort looks more so every body not only likes him but they love him and I do not supose he has many soldiers under him but would fight to the death for him. He is kind yet firm. When he says anything it has to be did to a letter.

We are here yet anxiously waiting for the news from Richmond. I should not be surprised if McCleland gets backed thare if we did not get a trip to Va.

You stated in your letter that Miller had prefered to let you have some money by you throwing off the interest. If you can get along a little while longer you can save the interest for I will draw two months pay in a few days and as soon as I can get the money to you I will send it. I expect to send it to Judge Brown again. I am going to keep anough to have my picture taken as soon as we get to any place where such things are done. Probably I may keep $10 for my own use should I get sick I may need things would be a comfort to me and the rest I will transmit to your imediatly. I will close this for the presant. Excuse my pencil writing for it carries much handier than a pen and let me know whether you can read it or not. Lydia write soon and often. Your letters come regular generally about 10 days old. I look for one this eavening. We have a male here nearly every day. Give my love to all,

I again imbrace this opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know in the first place that I am enjoying good health for which I still feel thankful to the Great Giver of all goods for His continued mercies toward me and I do sincearly hope that this letter may reach you and find you all in good health and in fine spirits. I can inform you that I received your kind and welcom letter yesterday of the date of the 11th inst and was rejoiced to hear of the health you enjoyed and was also rejoiced to see in that letter that you was thankful to Him that preserves you for I believe it is the first time I ever have saw such a demonstration in any of your letters and I do sincearly hope you may cary out your feelings and submit them to practice. Lydia I am happy to inform you that I believe that I am living nearer the life of a Christian now than I ever did in my life for I feel more of the restraints of Christianity upon me now than I ever did before and if God spairs my life ever to return to you again I hope to be able to induce you and the children as fast as they arive to the years of maturity to fall in with the offers of mercy by pias example and moral swasion through the teaching of the holy scripture.

Now Syrena and Eveline a few words to you right here I think would not be out of place. In your mothers last letter to me she says that the youngsters in your settlement are growing more demoralized and getting past all decency. Now let me entreat you as a father to take care of your selves, maintain a good character for if you loose that you loose the deerest object you have upon earth. In loosing that you loose all and if you have any respect for yourself your mother and for me keep a good caracter. You are rated with the company you keep, then keep good company and if you have none but bad in your country dont keep any at all. Better hav a good caracter and live entirely out of society than to have a bad caracter, and should I be spared to return to you which I believe I will be, I will try to teach you all I can with respect to your conduct through life but for the presant you are in your mothers care entirley and I want you to obey her believing that she will lead you in the paths of virtue.

Now Lydia I can inform you that we are here yet 4 1/2 miles south of Corinth. I wrote you a letter from this place three days ago. I stated in that letter about all that had transpired that would be interesting to you that I can think of now, we are here drilling three hours per day commencing at 5 1/2 oclock a.m. and quit at 7 then commencing again at 5 1/2 oclock p.m. and quit at 7. We are still in great anxiety about Richmond and I am getting whiped out clean about the war for I know that the Union forces could consentrate anough of troops to take Richmond in spite of the world but I see that there are thousands of Union troops scattered through the southern confederacy doing just what we are doing here nothing that might be taken to Richmond and asist in taking that place. I am fearful that the Rebels have consentrated anough of troops at Richmond to overwhelm McClellands forces before that place and if such should be the case my word for it the Southern Confederacy will be acknowledged for if the Confederates gains that victory they will be acknowledged by foreign powers and at this time with the defenceless situation of our northern coasts should England and France breake in upon us we are whiped. For if we have not generals that are capible of crushing the Rebelion when chances seem so favorable how can we withstand two powerful nations forming an aliance with them. I believe it would be policy to consentrate all our forces at Richmond for both north and south agree that this is the desiding contest at that place. Then why not consentrate four or five hundred thousand troops before Richmond and the fall of that place would be certain and no doubt one half the mortality that will ocur under presant circumstances and if the Relels are not whiped at Richmond I will say it to one of two things either the officers at the helm of this war are honestly or wilfully ignorant. But I still have some hopes for the better and should our forces gain the victory thare I am satisfied we will have no more fighting to do.

Lydia I see in your letter that you were misinformed with report to Richmond geing taken and also about General Pope following the fleeing Rebels forty miles. I expect I sent as fare as any of them did excepting and cavalry and we went to Boonville twenty six miles from Corinth. How many prosoners were taken I do not know anything. About one thing I do know and that is I did not help to take any. One of our boys picked up one of them while we were at Boonville. But I supose there were thousands of them taken and thousands of them threw away their arms and went home but no doubt the major part of the Corinth army is now in Richmond.

Lydia I can inform you that poor Will Dyar is bound to die. There is no doubt but that the doctors have used him shameful. I am told they yet try every few days to extract the ball but cant do it. He takes is all patient. They have told him that he is bound to die and he talks about it just as calm as you would about going to a neighbors house. I never saw such a boy in my life. He was an exeption. I started another letter to MB and Mary Watson yesterday. I got one from them the day before I wrote R. Hummmel in answer to his letter to me. I am sorry the males are so uncertain. I must come to a close by requesting you still to keep writing as you have done for I think your letters all come to me.

It afordes me the greatest pleasure to take my seat this morning to drop you a few more lines to inform you in the first place that I am enjoying good health for which I still feel truly thankful for mercies confered uppon me and I do sincerily hope that this may come to hand and find you all enjoying good health. I can inform you that I received your kind and welcom letter of the 24th last eavning be asured it was gladly received and more eagerly read................................all in good health but glad to find that the complaint was not matereally dangerous. I was also sorry to find in your letter two other things and one was that you had so much rain and high water as I expect it will ruin your corn and another was that Billy had left you. I cannot say what would be the best for you to do. I was in hopes that Billy would have staid with you till I got home again if I should be spared to do so, which I hope to do. I want you to get some good boy if you posibly can to stay with for I cannot see how you can get along without. If it takes all I am making here I want you to get some one to stay with you.

Well Lydia I see in your letter they are volunteering in our settlement about as fast as ever. Well I hope how soon the call may be filled up and they come and help us and do what we are going to do. Had this call been made last spring with double the amount I believe we could be at home now but I am of opinion there will still have to be more men called out than there is eaven at this call. My firm conviction is the Rebels will have as many men in the field as we will when we have this call filled becaus they have about there whole efective force out now and there negroes at home doing the work. I think things in that line is about to take a turn and I think we are going to use Sambo some. If we do and let the matter be public we can have more negroes in a little while than we have soldiers they would flock to us by scores. Some of our boys say they would be glad they would come. Some say they would shoot them and so matters stand among the boys. I am in hopes you have found out before this time that the news you had about Evansville being invaded by the secesionists was without foundation for it is all a hokes. It seem to have been Newburg a defencless place where the cowardly scrubs could do some damage without endangering themselves but I am glad you got such news up your way. It may be the caus of some of the boys turning out that would not under any other circumstances. It looks to me just like there is a great many in our country that do not know there is a war in the U.S.

Dear Lydia you say in your letter you are afraid that our government is about ruined. I will have to say to you that unless there is a more vigerous policy used in the part of our government than has been it will not take more than six months more to play it out of existance but I am in hopes the policy will be changed and we can be alowed to carry on the war with vigor and make the Rebels see and feel where we go.

Lydia I see in your letter you are made to believe that I see hard times. Let me say to you that a soldiers life is not a pleasant one for me although there are some that do not care a straw. As for the hard times I can get along with anything I have saw yet of and if I can only be permited to keep well I do not fear anything and I do not want you to give yourself any uneasiness about me for as you say you can do me no good eaven were I sick which I hope I may excape while I am out. You stated in one of your letters not long ago that you would come to me if I get sick if I would let you know it, if you had the money to bare your expences. Now Lydia if I was to take sick here you could not come to see me for they would not admit you through the lines even if you could get to them, but I am in hopes there will be no necesity for anything of the kind. I try to take as good care of my health as posible and I think this is one reason why it is that I keep so well as I have done.

Now Lydia I have already written more than I expected I would on this sheet. Where I sit down there is nothing going on here to excite the curiosity of anyone, so you will see by the heading of this letter we are here just where we was when the Dyars was here. How long we may stay I cannot tell or where we may go when we leave is not for me to say. You was misinformed when you heared we had gone to Holly Springs. We never went any farther than I told you about in my former letters. I will now close on this sheet by saying that the health of our regiment is about as it has been for some time. Will Mount has not got here yet. James Herod and James West are not much if any better. I do not think James West has paid me $3.75 for corn belonging to Messers children. I would send the money to you in a letter but there is so many of my letters you never get I am afraid I would loose it. So if Messer wants the money pay it to him and when I send money home again I will sent it to you, so no more on this.

I again seat myself this morning to drop you a few more lines after wating some two days longer than I aught to, for I have daily expected a letter for the last three days but have not got one yet though I am in hopes I may get one today before I finish this letter. Well Lydia I can inform you that I am in not very good health at this time though I am now better than I have been. I was taken about four days ago with an awful diarheea which run me down awful. My liver became dormant. I aplied to the surgeon and as good luck would have it Dr. Stuckey was officeating and I believe him to be a No. 1 surgeon. I have taken medicin for three mornings and I can now do lite duty. I have never sufered any pane in the least. Weakness is all that has afected me but I am now getting a stomack as savage as a saw mill and I think with care I will be all right in a few days. Indeed I am truly thankful to my creator that it is no worse with me than it is and I do hope when this reaches you, you may all be enjoying the best of health and indeed be revived in spirits for I do asure you that that is the case with me and not only me but you can plainly discover good spirits marked upon the fetures of every soldier for it begins to look like the policy has taked a desided change and that we are now going to have help anough to wipe out this wicked rebelion in a few months after our fources gets fairly in the field. It is reported here now that there is an order for another draft of six hundred thousand men. If that be the case you will have some more getting up and dusting among the boys. I am awful anxious to hear from home and hope I may long before you get this for I understand that the order for the draft caused a perfect stampede among the men. I am in hopes some of my old neighbors will come and join the 59 for I am in hopes we bear such a reputation that it would be no disgrace to any person to join our regiment but there is no use of trying to get recruits now for the time for volunteering is now with the things that were the day of grace is passed and a many poor fellow will wish from the bottom of his very soul that he had volunteered for I would just as soon go to the penitentiary as be drafted and who thanks a man for doing that that he is obliged to do. I do not nor do I ever expect to and I say any man that does not volunteer in this war that can leave home as well as I could, and is stout and able ought to be looked upon and treated as an enemy to his country. I know there are circumstances where men could not leave home and where there fisical strength and constitution would not admit them to go, but I know of men all round you if they have not volunteered that could have done so much better than I could. But enough of this for the presant. We have mooved our camp again since I wrote to you the last time. We were then about one mile south of Jacinto. We are now about two miles west of Jacinto. We are now in the worst camp so far as the location is concerned that we ever have been yet. There is no telling how long we may stay here. You would think to look at the boys that we were going to stay a good long time here. Yours, Abrm Slough

I again take this oportunity of writing you a few more lines in order in the first place to let you know that I am well and harty for which I still feel grateful to my heavenly father for his mercies bestowed upon me and I do hope and pray that when this reaches you that you may be all found well and harty.

Dear Lydia I received your kind and welcom letter of the date of the 9th just a few moments ago. Let me say to you it was all your letters are the greatest satisfaction I have here in the army notwithstanding. Your letters sometimes brings me bad news as in the case in your last letter but I cannot apreciate the real comfort and satisfaction it is to me to hear comfort in and consoling words from home and when I know that the sentiments expressed comes from the hart I scarcly ever read a letter of yours without filling too full to speak to anyone. It is not on acount of wanting to see you (although I would give it all to do so) but it is because my hart is filled with love for you it seems more than ever before in our lives and then I cannot help feeling sorry for you to think of your hardships troubles and triels you have to undergo. I care for nothing that comes before me half as much as I do your aflictions and hardships and the Lord only knows when I can be permited to return to my beloved ones to help them. It looks to me at this time like a gloomy prospect of a turn for the better when the Rebles are going just where they want to. I now am truly in hopes they will take Washington City for I see there is no energy exerted on our side yet. Ther is no policy nor never has been since the war commenced. I sometimes become perfectly disgusted at the administration. I sometimes am of opinion old Abe is not just sertin which end is up. He will first caus McClellan apointed chief commander and then he will relieve him and apoint Pope and then the command will be taken away from him and given back to McClellan. So you can see there is no settled principle but so it is I have said enough about theas matters in former letters to give you a full knowledge of what my mind is on the subject so I will comence on something else.

Dear Lydia I was truly sorry to hear that Nathan had got wounded but I am truly in hopes his wound is not fatal but I can fully imagine the anguish and anxiety of his dear wife and children but Lydia if that was all the case if there were not thousands of cases already simular and thousands yet to come and then look at our case. O how thankful ought you and I to be that we are not in a simular situation if not in a worse one for I am in hopes Nate will get well and be restored to his family. Poor Billy had better taken my advice and staid with you but O what an honorable death to die in defence of our country in defence of the rights and privileges of a Republican government. Had I a son I would sooner see or hear of him dying that way than any other.

Well Lydia I believe I have written anough about that. Well I will just say to you that we are yet at this camp what for I am unable to say. Our cavelry are out on the scout daily. They say there is no Reble force amounting to anything in twenty miles of us. There was one company got into a little nest of them some 6 or 8 miles below here the other day. There was nothing done. Our men run like scared dogs and as a matter of cours no one got hurt for I expect Secesh done the same trick but mark it was not Co. A. We were out the same day on a skirmish on another road but saw nor heard any Secesh but felt one of the awfulest rains that fawls, so turn a page.

We are here now on suspence. I wrote you in my last letter I was of opinion we would go to Kentucky but I guess now that is not probible I now think the idea is to hold Corinth and it may be now we may have to stay here for months if the Rebles will let us and they will have to send a pretty strong force to get us away as we have about 40,000 troops in and around Corinth. So no more of this now. I just now heared that our men and the Rebles had a little fight at Inka some 16 or 18 miles east of this place day before yesterday at which our men were at first repulsed but being reinforced they drove the Rebles. I never learned any of the particulars.

Well Lydia I stated in my last letter that our recruits had just landed that the numbered 112. I can tell you they make us look big to what we did but we as a Co. did not get one recruit although there was 27 that volunteered expressly for this company but they had to go into others. This is the way some men will do when they get the advantage and power in their hands. O but the boys are mad. I told you in my last letter that Tom Craig was all that I was acquanted with the other evening who should I meet but Bill Wills. It took me by suprise for I thought he was in the 14th reg. We had a good chat but Bill is too wicked for me and I cannot have the same intrust in a conversation where I hear one constant oath after another that I can with a moral man. Swairing is ten fold more lothsome to me than it use to be still I was glad to see Wills.

Now dear Lydia you say you cannot rent your ground out on acount of having no person to rent to. I have no doubts of the truth of what you say. So all I can say is for you to do the very best you can so that you do not try to turn any of the ground yourself as long as I can get twenty dollars a month and can send you seventeen of it I do not want you to go through as much hand out door labor as you have done. I believe 17 dollars a month will keep you from sufering anything you may need. I do wish you would use the money I send in the family.

Now ever blessed and loving one you have been on my mind more for the last few days than for the same length of time in a good while. Bless your loving sweet soul, this is Tuesday and last Sunday was the day you told me in your letter you was going to make your determination known by acknowledging the Lord Jesus and bowing in humble submision to his holy will. O Lydia you was on my mind the whole day. I would have give anything to have been with you but that was out of the question so I had to content myself to secretly Pray God to have mercy upon you and my blessed children. I am indeed in hopes I can now say with the wise man “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord”. You say in your letter you have no person to acompany you to meeting unless the girls goes, I got a letter from Messer yesterday he told me he was going to asist you to meeting, but I know Lydia it is not like me being with you and I hope and trust to my creator that I may be spared to return to you and acompany you when wver it is your desire to atend church. Dear Lydia enclosed is a stran of beeds for my blessed little baby. I strung them myself. They come off of an Indian belt found in Corinth after the evacuation. If nothing prevents I will send you four inches of the belt in a few days. I will try it by letter and if you get it there will be anough Beeds for all the girls a stran apeace.

So no more only I want some of them blessed hugs and busses. God bless your sweet soul I do say.

I again take my seat this Sunday morning to drop you a few more lines as I agreed to in the short adress I sent you by the hands of Lieut. Archer. I can say to you in the first place that I am yet blessed with reasonable good health for which I ever feel thankful for hoping at the same time that this may reach you and find you equally blessed with that richest of all blessings--health. I am indeed truly in hopes that before this letter reaches you that our dear little babe may have regained its health for I feel uneasy about it although I know it will be properly taken care of still I cannot help feeling anxious about it but it will do me no good and I will try and be as content as posible.

Well Dear Lydia I will now try and give you a short discription of the Battle we had at Corinth on the 3rd and 4th inst with a few of the monor incidence conected with it before and after.

On the 1st day of this month we were ordered to strike tents at Rienze and march in the direction of Corinth. It was late in the day before we got started and consequently did not get more than 8 miles. On the 2nd day we took up our line of march and mooved to within two miles of Corinth. We thare went into camp. On the morning or the 3rd about 3 oclock a.m. our Sergeant Major came to me and told me to rous the boys and have them cook and prepare two days rations and be ready to march by 4 oclock. I did so and by the time we were ready and on our road to Corinth we were detained in town but a short time when we were ordered out in a north west direction. On the right of our line of Battle the were then fighting on the left. We mooved out about two miles and formed in line of Battle. There was at that time one company of the 26th Mo. Regt. skirmishing with the enemy about four hundred yeards in our front. We remained thare but a short time when our company and company of the 4th Minnisota Regt. was ordered out to take the place of the 26 Mo. Co. Our Regt. and 4th Minisota coming up on our rear as a reserve. We mooved out cauciously and took our position about four hundred yards in front of the Rebles pickets and a company of cavalry who were trying to plant a battery. We opened fire upon them, when the cavalry imediatly skedadled and the fire was returned with vigor by there skirmishers. This was the first oportunity I ever got for a shot at the Rebles. I cannot say that I hurt any body but I can only say I tried. I had several fair marks and I took as deliberate ame as I should have done at a buck. The prisoners we tood next day say we killed eight of them. In this skirmish there was not one of our company got a scratch but the company of the 4th Minisota who was imediatly on our right had two men killed and three wounded. We skirmished with the enemy about an hour when they left their position and we returned to our place fommerly ocupied. After knight we were taken back near town. In the morning about 3 oclock we got up and breakfasted and mooved into the outskirts of town. It was but a few minutes then until the Ball opened on our left with heavy guns and mortars from some of the breatworks and was replied to from the enemy by field pieces. When daylight fairly came the Rebles comenced making demonstrations to charge our works. There was about two thousand of them emerged from the weeds formed similar in shape of the letter V about 8 deep. They had to come through an open space of about five hundred yards. Our battery had boath a raking and cross fire upon them and would mow them down apearantly making wide lanes through there ranks. They would as sudenly close these ranks and come ahead as if nothing had hapened and come they did and their General in atempting to plant their colors on the abatis was shot by one of our gunners with a revolver. They took one gun but held it but a few minutes when the suport came on to them with a charge and drove them at the point of the bayonet. Never was heroism displayed more than on this ocasion on the part of the Rebles. This was on our left. They then made another vigorous demonstration on our right where we was stationed. We here had no heavy guns, nothing but field pieces. Of these we had two lines and the ground was so situated that the rear guns could operate over the front guns. As bad luck would have it the 80 Ohio Regiment was put in as one of the Regiments to suport our front guns they soon became panic stricken and run as they usualy do and the Rebles succeeded in taking several of our front batteries. But as good management would have it, the guns could do them no good after they had took them as our artilery men braught all the limbers away with them and consequently left them without amunition but few of the Rebles got farther than this line of artilery as our infantry and the other line of artilery poored in such destruction volies into them that soon caused them to retreat in disorder leaving their dead and wounded on the field. Our position was imediatly in rear of the second line of artilery and consequently never got into action. The hard fighting on our wing which was the right lasted one hour and a half. The fighting in all on Saturday comenced before day and lasted until half past eleven. Now I will try to give you a faint idea of the sound of a battle.

Imafin yourself close to the roof of a house in a heavy showr of rain and let the rain drops answer for the fire of small arms and then imagin it thundering about ten times as fast as ever you heard it thunder in your life and imagin that cannonading and then you have a faint idea of the nois of a battle.

Now I cannot help saying some respecting Liet. J.W. Archer he is a soldier and a gentleman, every inch of him. In the Battle at Iuka the Colonel of the 48 Indiana was wounded, so of course the command devolved upon the Lt. Colonel. In this battle the Lt. Colonel got wounded, when Archer tood command and never were men led on to victory mroe bravely than was done by Archer. All the troops of the 48 speak of the highest terms of him. Our Lt. Colonel has charge of the 48 now for the time being, so turn to another sheat.