Moscow, Tennessee

Friday, November 26^th, 1862

My Dear Wife:-

Last Tuesday morning we received orders to march at 2 o’clock P.M. with two days cooked rations in our haversacks.  At two we started with seven or eight companies under command of Lieut. Col. Prince.  We took the road to Macon, passed through Macon late and bivouacked in the woods about a mile beyond.

Macon is a small village with some very good brick houses, some churches etc., surrounded by a tolerable good farming country.  Wednesday morning we moved at an early hour in a northwestern direction and passed through Oakland, a village that would suit for a kitchen for Fosterburg.  Here we captured a very good flag about 12 feet long, with ten stars and Southern Rights on its Red and White Bars.  We also captured in this neighborhood, about a dozen double barreled shotguns.  About noon we captured three or four straggling secesh.

Lagrange, Nov 29^th

We went on in a northwest direction a few miles and got into a fight with the rebels and had two of our Company severely wounded and the Captain of Company “K” slightly wounded in the left arm.  Our wounded was Clark Coldren, severely in the left side and Aaron B. Melton, left leg shattered below the knee.  The enemy, two wounded and 28 prisoners.  We returned to camp the next day and yesterday all the troops left Moscow for Holly Springs, and now our Regiment is gone and as soon as I close this, I will be off with two days rations in my haversack.  I remained behind to get Amos Moon and Thomas Smith off home.  Smith will deliver this to you and stop with you a few days.  I hope you will send an answer to this as soon as received.  I have not time to write now, but Mr. Smith will tell you all the particulars of our late moves.  We will no doubt have a heavy fight below Holly Springs.

I send you two pictures, one for yourself and one for mother.  They are in cases taken on the battlefield of Corinth.

I am sorry that I am so hurried now as I would write more.  I send a book to Miss Colburn and some to you, one that I have wrote to you about.

I received a letter from your uncle Lieut. McConnell last night.  You will send Mrs. Ballard word (for the lords sake) that Henry is yet on the land and among the living.  Their Regiment has had some hard marching.  You will read to your mother such of this letter as you think proper.  I have some other letters that I would like to send you but they are in my box in the waggon and it has been gone 6 or 8 hours.

Good bye.

William A. Smith