August 27th 1862

State of Tennessee Near Cumberland Gap

Dear companion it is with pleasher that I take the pleashere of writing to inform you that I am well at present hopen that these lines will find you all well I can inform you that your letter of august 9th has come to hand this morning which gave me great pleasue to hear from you and to hear you was all well the last letter I had got before from you was dated July the 27th Was one month ago I have not wrote in most two weeks the reson I did not write sooner was the mail was stoped but it has started again as the mail was stoped I had give out ever getting any more letters but the mail has started one time more so I think we can Get Letters from home one time more if you all will write to us we all had give out ever get any more news from home but I think that we will get letters from now on We are stationd here in two mile of the yankees and the pickets is fighting evry day and we are looking for a big fight evry day but we are shure to whip when it comes on they have twelve thousand men in the Gap and we have enough of men to form a line of battle seven mile long and some thirty five or forty thousand men on the other sid of the Gap so we have them surrounded so they will have to come out and fight or perish one or the other we taken twenty four beeves from the yankees yesterday and Killed six yankees in getting the beeves but non hurt on our side times is verry still here to day I think that we all will get furlow after we take the Gap but we will have to perish them out so we can get a chance at them for we will not go on them where they are in there fortification you said for me to write a letter that you could read your self but I think that it will bother you to read this but it is the best I can do on my knee and set on the ground

(pg 2) I have got eleven letters from you since I come in camps so you can say whether that is all the letters you have sent me or not I want you to write as often as you can and I will do the same I want you to knit me some socks and send them to me by the first one that comes if I don’t get the chance to come home after them I have wore holes in the last pare you sent to me so if I have to stay untell cold wether I shall need them I think I will draw my money shortly or a part of it and as soon as I draw my money I shall try to get a frulow and come home to see you all and get some close cotton socks sells here at seventy five cents per pare and wool socks at one dollar and twenty five cents and other clothins in propotion I will send you some lines of poetry

Ever of thee im fondly dreaming
Thy gentle voice my spirit can cheer
Thou wert the star that mildly beaming
Shone o’er my path when all was dark and drear
Still in my heart thy form I cherish
Evry kind thought like a bird flies to thee
Ah never till life and memry perish
Can I forget how dear thou art to me
Morn noon and night where’er I ma be
Fondly I’m dreaming ever of thee
Ever of thee when sad and lonely
Wandring a far my soul joy’d to dwell
Ah then I felt I loved thee only
All seemed to fade before affecion spell
Years have not chilled the love I cherish
True as the stars hath my heart been to thee
Ah never till life and memry perish
Can I forget how dear thou art to me
Morn noon and night where’er I may be
Fondly I’m dreaming ever of thee

So I will come to a close for this time by asking you to write often as you can and I want you to write about the Baby if he can walk yet or not and write how all the children is and all the news so no more at present but remains your  husband    LF Crumly   to N E Crumly