I now take take my pen in hand to write you a few lines     I am well and with the Companey here at Loudon     I came here yesterday     I had been away from the Companey so long that I wanted to get back and Charley came up to ____? and I came back with him,

here we are on this side of the river and the rebles on the other side     we can talk together across the river     we are not living rather slim here     now we have quarter[s] rations and the bread we have to bak ouselves     we tak the flower and weel[?] it up with salt and cold water and then bake it in cakes     it is not as light as it might bee but it eas with a little fresh meat we get     I am agoing out of camp and see if I cannot get a pumkin and stew it up and it will do for butter to eat...

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Charley he is a writing some to poot in this letter and so I will not write much this time     we ar forbidden to fire at the reble picketts unless they fire at us first     some times when I see them a walking around I believe I shall blaze away at some of them and see how my old gun will shoot     I will stand out and let them shoot at me if they will risk their pelts when it comes my turn to shoot,

The boys ar all well in the companey     wen you write again you may Direct to William O Wells   Co.A 25th Mich inft   1st Brigade   2 L Division.   23d Army Corps.   Loudon   Tenn

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