p.

but they are nothing new to us, for the
most of our journey has been made in just
such weather; we have been particularly favored
in that, but we cannot always have it and
we will soon have a change, when it will
rain nearly all of the time; Then will be the
time that will "try mens souls" as well of boots
and shoes, as well as the other kind.—

We are camped in a beautiful little grove
in the [?} of Edgefield, one mile north
of Nashville; We landed here, cold, tired
ragged, and one mass of filth and dirt, but
now order has come out of chaos and we
are blacked, washed, combed, and slicked up
generaly, which, with some new clothes had
brightened us up wonderfuly, and our camp
is all cleaned up and swept as nice as
a parlor.— I have my wash all done and
expect to have a pleasant time while we stay
here— Our regiment ^is sadly decimated
There were only three hundred & fifty men on
this mornings report fit for duty, the remainder
are sick, either in camp as in the hospitals
all along the road from Louisville to this place.
Notwithstanding our great loss at the battle,
our greatest enemy has been sickness, — Oh! this
war is a sad thing.— We started out with 850 stout
able bodied men, it is now only three months