December 23rd, 1862

Ringgold Catoosa County GA

Dear Companion

I take the present opertunity of writing to inform you that I am in common heth at this time Hopen these Lines will find you all well I Still stay puney But not bad off I have gained in weight since I come here I weight at this time Enough to be as stout as I Ever was I weight 165 pounds But is verry short winded and I Expect I shall Be untill I get entirely over my Kentucky trip I have nothing new to write at this time More then our men I understand is posession of Nashville Tennessee and my regment is gon to the Mississippi But I don’t Know where But it is said it is gon to Jackson

(pg 2) Something like one thousand miles from here I thought I would get to come home But I See no chance unles I was to Do as some of the Rest has done Runaway and come and the way we have Been treated I don’t think it would Be any harm or Disgrace nor they and any in camps that blames any Body for Deserting I don’t Know whether I will get to come or not But I Shall try my Best I hant got But one Letter from you since I Left Lanier Station and it was at Manchester when I got there I have Been Looking for one Evry day and Shall untill I get one I will State to you what sort of fair we have here we get Beef Corn Bread and Brand Coffee for

(pg 3) Breakfast Bread and Bacon and some times turnup soup for Dinner and Bread Brand Coffee and Rice Cooked in Clear water for supper they solgiers is pasing here Evry day going to the Mississippi But I don’t think I shall go untill I come home if I can get there with out getting in jail for the Law allows me Sixty days in the year and if I don’t take it I wont get it and I think that it is fare for me to have some time to go home in as it would be for the man that has twenty negrows to stay at home all the time and Extoshion on the pore people and it is my opinion that that will break up this war yet for the armies

(pg 4) from Evry part of the Condedracy is deserting Evry day and going home and some of them Swayrs they will not fight to protect the Rich mans negrows while he is Exempt from the war Because he has twenty negrows and I think all such Laws is a Disgrace to the Confedracy and will Lead to its downfall FM Crumly is here with me and is as well as common his pains is still herting him Curtis Ledford is still here he was sick Last night But was Better this morning So I will come to a close for this time Good Bye for a while Write soon and Direct to Ringgold Catoosa county Ga

L F Crumly

 To Nancy E Crumly