Decatur, Alabama

July 29, 1862

My Dear Wife:-

I will only say that I am quite well but very tired, with a prospect of hard work tomorrow.  We have been on the road eight days but marched quite slow.  I will not now give you any of the particulars of the march, but may do so in my next letter to you.  I wrote to you from Tuscumbia and hope to hear from you in a day or two.  I will expect to hear from John Foster by next mail.  If I had word from him now, I had the chance today of buying a horse and rig for $40.00.  I hope to hear from him soon.  I could still buy that horse.  It is a horse that belonged to a man that died at Hamburg, Tennessee.  We have one recruit that we will swear in tomorrow of the next day.  When I make out this months reports, I will send you one so that you may see how our Company stands, or is such a thing interesting to you?

William A. Smith