Murfersbourgh Tenn
Oct the 13 /63
Well Dear Charlotte
We left Nashville yesterday noone. We marched 15 miles. It rained all the afternoone and we had a hard afternoone march. We marched untill eight oclock. We staied at Laverne Station. It rained most all knight last knight. Tenn is baren as Virginia. We couldent find no straw nor brush to lay on and it rained so hard the water was an inch deep under us. This morning we was divided up two men to a wagon so we all wrode. There is betweene four and five hundred wagoens in the train. We are guarding through. There is cavelry and artilery with us. We expect an atact before we get on the other side of the Cumberland Mountains. We are at Murfersbourgh to knight. It is quite a village and verry strongly fortified. I went into one of the forts. It is quite a curiosity. I picked out a little cotten from a bail that was thrown up for breastworks. I will send it home. I wish you had just one bail of it but dear Charlotte the best of all was after most three weaks anxously looking for a letter it came. We got a mail to knight. I got two letters. One was mailed the 23 and the other the 29. You cant immagen how glad I was to hear from you. I feele a thousend lbs lighter. I am glad you are well. I am verry sorry to hear such news about Billy. If I was him I would go to Binghamton and see the best doctors there is there. He seas he thinks of me when he gets in his good bed. I am glad he is there. I often think of my good birth espeshly such knights as it was last knight. If we could camped before knight it wouldent ben so bad. We would had more chance to fixed our bed but I can stand it. It comes naturel for me to be a soildier. It is a good deal in knowing how to get along in the army. Every man must look out for himself. I am well now with the excepthens of a little cold the first cold I have had since last spring. I am glad you got the money and likeness all right. You think there was some thing the matter of me. I dident feele verry well. I am well now so I will tell you all about it When we left Kempers Ford I was taken with the direar and it lasted untill we got to Nashville. I have just nicely got over it. I had it the worst way but I was up and done duty every day. When I had my likeness taken I was about sick. I had no appetite to eat but I can eat all I can get now and feele well. Better than I did before I hat it. You have give up going east. You must do as you think best. If you go to your folkes I will feel better about you than I will if you go east.
Good buy.
You must excuse this. I have writen it in a hurry. I dont know when we will get another mail. We have got to guard this train through and then I think we will go back to Nashville and guard another through. That is the talk now. I cant write half I want to. My candle is all burned up.
Wensday morning the 14
Dear Charlotte
It will take the train some time to get started so I will try to write a little more this morning. Our brigade lays here. The 75th(?) lays about three miles from here guarding a bridge. The rebs burned it a fiew days ago. Generl Geary has command of this post. They have had orders to fix up winters quarters. I think our regt will have to guard wagon trains. You sead little Matie knew my likeness. I dident think she would know it. I would like to see you all espeshly the baby. You musent wory so much about me. I will get along. I dont think we will go into battle this winter. We may have a brush with the guirilies but that is nothing. We can soone dress them out. This has ben a nice country but it looks hard now. No fences and the most of the buildings burned. I came over the battle field of Murfersborough yesterday. I see a great meney graves and the trees were shot to peices. I dont know when I can write again but I will write the first chance I have. I wish you would send me some postetage stamps. I have got seven yet but I dont want to get out. I haint got time to write more this time. My love to you.
Charles Engle