Family History Letter 32

State of Tennessee, Camp near Chattanooga

August the 22, 1863

Dear companion, it is with great pleasure that I seat myself this evening to droop you a few lines to let you know that I am in common health at this time, hoping when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all well. I ain't got anything strange to write only the yankee's come to the river and threw (cannon) balls into the town and shot a little girls leg off and killed several others. I don't know how many men we have nor a (unreadable) six miles from town down the river towards Bridgeport, they say that the yankee's is crossing the river at Bridgeport by Thompens. Catherine, I hardly know where to tell you to send your letters but send them to Chattanooga. Catherine, I ain't heard a word from you since Jo come. I never wanted to hear from you as bad in my life. They say that Rosecrans has give Bragg till tomorrow morning to get the women and children out of town. I am mighty afraid that we will get into it here yet, from the way they are doing. Jo is down with his back and hips. He can't sleep of a night. Nicholas is well as common. He wrote a letter the other day and I didn't have time to write then. Catherine write to me soon and often. Catherine I was mighty glad to see some of your hair and the childrens but I would be gladder to see you. You wanted to know whether they made the men work or not. They made some of them work. We told Stuart (probably John M. Stewart, Lieutenant of Company F) that he might do as he pleased but if they didn't put them all on a like, we wouldn't work a like. (In other words there has been some favorable treatment to certain men of the company.) There has been two left our camp, John Bugsby (probably John Busbee, private, Company F) and Bill Burrel (I have yet to find a name even close to this one.) They left while Mr. Hamilton was here. There was 5 left Company J day before  yesterday as we come down here. General Hindman has made application to General Bragg to furlough every tenth man till he goes through the army. Catherine, God to your soul, I got your letter that you sent by Jo, but I didn't have the furlough then so, the yankee's is going to make another raid through Alabama and the talk is that our brigade and (unreadable) will go to Gadsden. If they do try to go through there we have role call every three hours. We have got three days rations cooked and holding ourselves in readiness to start at a moments warning. So nothing more at present, only I remain your loving husband till death. This from A.H. Burnett to Catherine Burnett.