Decatur, Alabama

Monday night, August 18^th, 1862

My Dear Wife:-

Having the chance to drop you a line I enclose this note in Nancy’s letter.  I received the letter you sent by John M. Hamilton which I answered at once.  I will expect another letter from you tomorrow.  We are having trouble with the railroad.  The secesh tears up the track or burns a bridge or cuts the telegraph wire almost every night, making it very uncertain about mail getting to us.  We can send letters every day but they are slow in reaching you.

Yesterday we had two trains, one of them was fired into by the rebels and three men was wounded.  There is no telling when a stop will be put to their raids upon the road here, but I believe it is certain that there are not as many rebel soldiers in this neighborhood now as there was a few days ago, at least they do not show themselves in as great numbers nor as often as they did a little time back.  There is no telling anything about how long we will remain here, but I expect we will be here considerable time.  Could I persuade you to pay us a visit this fall or do you think this is too far from home for you.  How would you like to come and be a soldier for a few months.

Some of the boys says that your father talks of coming down to see your uncle.  If he comes and does not want to come to our Regiment, if he will let me know when he is there, I will go and see him, but I hope if he visits the army, he will come and see me.  I think he will not come within a hundred miles of me and not visit me, but tell him if he does come to see Gum and can’t come to see me, I will meet him wherever Montgomery is.  I do think he could not spend a few dollars more to his own satisfaction than by visiting the army.  I am anxious to hear from Richmond.

As I expect a letter from you tomorrow, I will not write more now, but will answer yours as soon as received.  Good night.

William A. Smith