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Camp 45th Ala Nov 15th 1864
Florence Ala
Dear Fannie
I take advantage of an opportunity
to start a letter to you this evening. We are
now about 2 miles north west of Florence
Ala – left our camp near Tuscumbia day before
yesterday. – crossed Tennessee river and came
to this place – I think that now nearly all
of the army is across the river and we
are expecting soon to take up the line of
march to middle Tennessee.
Our fare is better both in quantity and
quality than it has been. Genl Hood has
increased the ration to very nearly sufficiency
if we were in a regular camp and cooked
for our selves there would be plenty
My health continues very good I have
not seen my scatchell in over three[?] months
and [illegible] will see it
again - If I do not I will be pretty short
in the clothing line after a while if I
cannot buy it from the Government[?]
It is thought by a great many that it will
not be long before we go into winter quarters
If we do soon[?] I shall try very hard
to get to come home and if I fail may
be [you could visit me?] I am afraid
that our army [illegible] expected to make [illegible] with
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Prices army either in Mississippi or Kentucky
and if we do, it will be a long while
before I shall be able to see you. Genl
Hood however says that he expects the campaign
to be short and active and that we will
soon be in quarters resting for the winter
The last letter I got from you was dated
25th of October I am afraid you do not
write them regularly. - Negligence on your
part in such a time as this would pain me
much as I now have no other earthly source
of comfort [crossed out: now] except in news from
home. To deprive me of that would be hard
indeed. I hope you are moved and comfortably
fixed in your new home and that you may
get along better and better. May God bless
and protect you. Give my love to Ma Sister
Nick Fayette if he is there, my little children
Nick and all others that feel enough interest in
me to inquire after me - tell all that can
to write to me.
Yours Truly GW Cherry
N.B. I have not yet been able to get any
money to send you. You had better not depend on
it much for it is very uncertain at least untill
the army gets still again. I have heard however
that there was money here to pay off the troops
don't know how true it is – God bless you
GWC