Camp ten miles south of Hamburg, Tennessee

Monday night, May 5^th, 1862

My Dear Wife:-

I today at noon received your letter of the 22^nd. ultimo and hasten to drop you a line to acknowledge its receipt.  I wrote to you last night but this may possibly reach you before that does, at least they will be close together.

Our battalion was ordered to move yesterday morning and the order was countermanded after we was saddled up.  We then expected to move this morning, but it rained very heavy during the night and part of the morning.  The Third battalion (ours) was ordered out with two days cooked rations.

I did not go for as I have before told you I am acting Quartermaster and my duties does not call me away from the camp.  In fact my duties rather detain me behind the company when we move.  If the battle begins and our Regiment is called into action, I intend to participate in it with my Company.  You seem to rather dread the consequences of a battle here.  It is perfectly natural that you should be very uneasy about it.  I hope however you will try to compose yourself as well as you can and wait the developments of time.  I feel like it will be my good fortune to pass through all that will be required of me and return home to be blessed by my wife and children.  Some persons seem always to think that it will be their lot to be numbered with those that pass off the stage of action at every battle.  I have always felt differently, yet it may be that I will be one of the victims of war.  In fact I may now, even now addressing you for the last time, but I hope not.  I believe not.

Our scouting parties are daily bringing in prisoners, their skirmishes all prove to be to our advantage.  I had hoped to address you from Mississippi, but I write this at the same camp from which I wrote you last night.  I am now receiving the Salem Advocate.  I have read the new Constitution with care.  You are aware that we will be allowed to vote upon it even if we are in Dixie.  There is one part of it that I think is worth the whole cost of the convention; it is in regard to the 7 per cent of the net proceeds of the Illinois Central Railroad.  You have often heard me speak of it, it is therefore useless for me to write to you my views concerning it.  There is no document of its size ever got up, but that is objectionable in some of its features, then why should this one be an exception to the general rule.  It would be strange indeed if it had no defects.  Tell me now you like it and what is the opinion of the neighbors about it.

I wrote to mother on my birthday and hope she has got it before this time.  I would be glad to have a letter from her.  I hear that Mr. Jones has gone for his wife and intends again to be our neighbor. Speaking of him reminds me of Henderson.  I am really sorry that he has suffered so for something to eat.  I hope he may never fare so hard again, but there is no doubt that thousands do suffer daily, either by the carelessness of the officers or on account of the trouble to transport supplies.  I do not know how things are going on in the world, as I have not had a paper for several days.  The papers dated 1^st. inst are in camp but I have been busy today and not read any.  I have another letter to write tonight.  You will therefore excuse me.  I must answer Diora, before I close yours.

My Dear Little Girl:-

I received your letter dated the 22^nd of April, and was glad to know that you had got to writing so that I could read it.  I was sorry to hear that Scott was not well.  I think that Hannah B. Colburn is a very fine girl or she would not sent you the present that you tell about; but you did not tell me what it was.  I am sorry that Marthas father got so badly hurt.  I hope he will soon be better.  Tell Ellen Nichols that I would be glad to see her.  I hope you will be a good girl and mind mother and Miss Colburn.  If you will mind her and try hard to learn, you can soon write me a very nice letter.  Foster Moon is sick in the hospital about ten miles from here.  Do you wish you was there so that you could give him a good drink of water.  He is better now than he was.  William Arnold is there with him, but he is very sick.  I don’t know when I will see him.  You are getting tired of reading my letter, so I will quit and write another.

Good night.

Your Father

To Diora Smith