Camp Hurricane, Mississippi           Aug. 12, 1863

Dear Wife,
  I will address you with a few lines to inform you that I am
not very well, but I am up and about. I am to my regiment. I
have been to the hospital since I been out here. I have not 
received any letters from you since I left. I would 
like very much to hear from you if there was any possiblility
to do it. Let me know how all is getting along. Dear Wife we 
see hard times out here about something to eat. We get very
little to eat, have to pay one dollar per dozen for peaches,
and from five to ten dollars apiece for water Melons. The man
you told went and got the oven at Camp Berrien. We are in a
camp near Morton Post Office, on the railroad that goes to
Jackson. We are about forty miles from Jackson on this side 
of that place. (direct your letters to Morton Post Office,
Mississippi Co. E, 47 Ga. Regt., Stovall Brigade)
We don't know how long we will stay here, nor don't know where
we will go to when we leave here. I have had the diarrhea 
every since I been here, and most of the regiments has had it
and what has not had it, has got. I would like for you to
answer this quick as you receive this. Nothing more at present
worth writing as I know of, so I give my best respects to you 
and the children. So I close these few lines.
                            Your Affectionate Husband
                             James W. Shuman

(written on back of letter)
Mr. J.W. Shuman
Morton Post Office
Massipi Co. E. ga. 47 Regiment
Stovall Brigade
.............................................

Bry Marietta, Georgia, Sept. the 11th 1863

Dear Wife
  This will inform you that I am in the hospital at Marietta.
But I can't say that I am very sick. I received your letter 
whitch you wrote the first day of Sept. whitch gave me grate
Satisfaction to hear you was on the mend but sorry to hear som
of the chidren was sick, but I hope they are well by this time.
This will inform you that the Yanks has got Chattonooga,
Tennessee and our troops has fell back in the direction of Rome,
Ga. and being not able to march was sent to the hospital. So
far as I'm concerned I think the Confederacy has nearly gave
up. The four grand Armies is a marching against Georgia. Grant,
Rosecrans, Burnsides. It is believed they will attack this
place before many days. Billy Burnsides got kild on the way from
Miss. by getting knocked off the train five miles from Selma,
Alabama and kild ded his skull and thigh being broken. And my
Dear wife I would be so happy to see you and babes once more in
my life, but God noes whether that will ever be the case or not.
Pray for the safe return home to the bosom of one whom I praise
far above all things on earth. Dear wife, you must try and do
the best you can and save all you can and above all things
prepare to meet your God in heaven where I hope to meet you.
Then our troubles will all be over. I have a great deal to write
but my time is limited but to tell you the hardships and suffering
I have underwent would only add trouble on you mind when I know
that you have got as mutch now as you can bear. Therefore, I 
shall say nothing about it. But if it should please God for me
to to live to see you then I can tell you all but I can't express
it with my pen. Jim Shumans says your oven and 2 pieces of plank
was at Joiners or at Bascoms. You no the mans name you told to go
and get it for you, well he went and got them so Jim told me. I
wrote to you about it in my last letter but not noing whether you
got it or no I thought I would say something about it in this so
you mite no where it was so that you mite get it. Write to me how
your crop will turn out and whether you will make anough to do you
or no and write the news of the neighborhood and how the people 
are getting along and what they think about the war. Wife, I want
you to write me as soon as you get this for I have only received 
one letter from you yet. And when you write direct your letters to
Mr. J.W. Shumans, Marietta, Ga. Co. E. 47th Regt. Ga. Vol. Stovalls
Brigade, Breckenridge Division. I hear since I come in writing
that Bragg whipt the Yanks at Rome yesterday and taken 8,000 
prisoners and General Hill whipt them at Knoxville but how true
it may be I can't say but I hope it may be true and it is thought
that we will be sent to Virginia but I can't say for sirtain
whether it is true or not-So I must come to a close for the
present-by. Say farewell. I remain your affectionate husband until
death.
                             J.W. Shuman