Mitchellsville Tenn Dec 17th 1862
William T Russell Esq

Dear Friend

I wrote to you and Henry sometime ago which Henry promptly answered and I should have written to you much sooner but for want of postage stamps a commodity we are not likely to see now until after we are paid off if such a thing does ever transpire; I have ventured however thinking you might be willing to pay for the satisfaction of hearing from us; I have been on the sick list for over two weeks but not seriously ill I have been doing a little all the time yet feeling quite badly I am happy to say however that I have almost entirely recovered; There was a rumor in camp a short time ago that you were coming to spend the holidays with us but when I heard that Suva was so seriously ill I concluded you would not come; There was another rumor afloat which I was not very well prepared to believe to the effect that you and a certain Miss Hutchinson were to be married. I felt rather confident that should there be anything serious in that direction you would inform me: though I have been wholly unable to account for your strange silence: The latest news are that Morgan S Foot Esq and Rev Peter Johnson are both married that the former married a lady of large property in Wisconsin & the latter lady unknown: I am quite anxious for a confirmation of the report yet can scarcely credit any part of it: If such be the case I may consider myself out of the Pontiac Comet Band” for surely a member in good standing would not be treated this way: We are all getting along full as well as could be expected under all the circumstances: We do not luxuriate in fine beds & good eating as we would at home & our cloth houses are quite cool this cold weather but we manage to keep comfortable: We have spent some time & considerable hard labor to fortify this place and we feel pretty secure if not attacked by over twice our numbers: We have been anticipating a fight here for ten day but just now it is more quiet: It is one of the Rebel Morgans favorite places & his friends rather expected him here he has not as yet however paid his visit: The general health of the Regiment is not as good as we should desire yet we have not suffered as much as a great many other Regiments: We buried Francis A Gerbet of Rooks Creek this evening he was a good & faithful soldier & we lament his loss deeply: Adam Gamble of our company also died here last week making our total loss in Company by death three: Three have been discharged by Syphus Rockwell & Hopwood so that we number six less than when we left Pontiac Our friend Jim Morrow is flourishing as usual: Fife: Lieut Smith: J A Fellows: Dr Johnson & all our old acquaintances are hale & hearty: Allen is very jubilant over letters rec’d from his wife as by some disarrangments of the mail he had not heard for over a month: Phil P is getting along well: he gets out of patience frequently because things do not move exactly to suit but is getting along very well & enjoys good health I should be happy to see you & if you want to see the sights suppose you come: I should be glad if the Band could make an excursion here but if Pete & Morgan are both married that would be morally impossible: I hope you will write soon & give me the facts: I feel very sorry that from inability to pay I have failed to lift my note before this I have thought you might wish to invest it more advantageously we have looked long & anxiously for pay but as yet I have the first dollar to get since I have been in the service how long we shall have to wait remains yet to be seen I hope however for the benefit of my friends who have accommodated me it will not be long I feel anxious to hear from Sura & hope that she is much better: Remember me kindly to her & tell her I should be happy to hear from her Remember me to the Band I wish you all a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year: Many fine dinners &c & all the comforts that life can enjoy & this world afford: I believe if it were