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Camp near Knoxville Town
Sunday morning Nov 20th 1862
My own Dear wife
It has been some
time since I have writen to you;
It has been owing to the fact that
we have been moving ever since I
wrote to you last; Since I wrote to
you last we have been to Chattanooga
when we stayed two or three days & from
there we went to Bridge-Port, were
we remained there some three or
four days, I would have writen to
you from that place, But I did not
know at that time, where we would
be sent to from there, while we were
there Capt. Midleton came up we
were very glad to see him, for we
all new that we would hear from
home, you do not know how glad
I was to see him, not that I
love him so much, but that I new
I would receive a litter by him from
you, I was very glad to hear from
you for I had not heard from
you for a long time, The Captain
brought me the [stamp ?] that you
sent me, I was very glad to get it
for I needed it very much. When I
first saw it it reminded me. so
much of home, I also received
the five Dollars gold piece which
I was very glad to see for I was
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was owing the money and I wanted
to pay it, I now feel me [illegible] since
it is paid, In reading your letter
you spoke of several things that
you had writen to me in some
letters that you had writen to me
some time since, you said that
you had writen to me
about little Tabb's death, I had
not heard a word of it, not having
received your letters I was
at a loss to know what
caused her death; But soon after
reading your letter sent by Capt.
Midleton I received your letters, they
had gon up to Knoxvill, while
I was at Bridge-Port, so you
see that it was some time before
I receive them, I am in hopes
that I will hear from you now
every week, We are now at Knoxvill
and it is said that we will be
stationed at this place, for some
time, I am in hopes it may be
the case, for I am tired of moving
about, we have been on the go
ever since we left Montgomery,
I have stood the camp life fine,
I am in good health I weighed
my self the other day, and what do
you think that I weighed? to my
utter supprise I weighed one hun-
dred & sixty-seven pounds (167) it is
more than I ever weighed in my
life, I can scarsely button my
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coat. if I keep on at this [illegible]
I dont know what I will do for
clothing, as for my vist it is [scratched out work]
split [scratched out word] all the way from the collar
down, I will be compelled to have a
back put in, I [baughed ?] three round
jackets the other day and sent them
home, they are left in the care
of Hutchings & Williams, I thought
they were cheaper and bought three
I thought that if Mrs.
Mitchell wanted to send them
to Phil & Joe she could do so, if
not she could give them to
Jack, Abe, & Dock, I paid seven
Dollars a piece for them, the
same kind of coate cant be
bought for twice the same money,
I would have bought some pants
but I could not get them,
I wrote to you some time ago
about trying to get me off I have
been told that I could not
get of for the reason that the
exemption bill applyed to the
last conscript law, that may
be the case; But their is nothing
like trying, I am tired of the
army and would like to get
home, I applied for a furlough
on yesterday and could not get
one. they have stoped giving furlough
unless for disability. Col. Brad-
ford told me that he thought
that he would receive orders
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in a few days granting furlough
The reason that they have stoped
giving furloughs is that since
our retreat from Lexington
every body wanted furloughs
and most of them got a furlough
I will make an effort before
very long again, if I cant get one
by fair means I will get one by
unfair means. I will take the
[illegible] or become deaf or
something of the kind, I think that
I can fool them, any how I will
make the effort, Dont look for me
until you see me, for I do not
know when I can come home, But
I will come as soon as I can
You said that Ben James Baldwin
wanted to pay his Doctors bill; [scratched out: it]
his bill is not made out, it is not
among the bills that we made out,
I do not think that I have made
out any bill for this year, just
lett the bills for this year stand
untill I come home,
If the buggy is past running, till Dr.
Fitzpatrick to have it repaired,
Best not to have it don if you
do not want it, I will leave it
with you, if you want it to ride
in have it mended, I think it is
a very good time to sell Phills buggy
I am told that you can sell any
kind of a buggy for a good price
if that be the case, I think it
Fitzpatrick Mitchell Williamson Papers
