Wauhatchie Tenn
Dec the 31 /1863
My Dear Wife
It is a rainy and lonesome day here to day and I will try and write a little to you. I was verry much disappointed to day not getting a letter. I got the papers. I am well and hope you all are. I wrote to you Sadurday and told you we expected to march last Monday but we are here in our old camp yet. The weather is so changeable. It rains a good deal of the time and the roads are verry bad. I guess that is the reason we haint gone. It rains verry fast now. The weather is warm. Day before yesterday it was clear. I never see so pleasent a day in December. Yesterday it was cloudy and to day it rains again. We was musterd this forenoone. They owe us four months now so we will get four months pay when they pay us. That paper gave a pretty true account of the battle but we had no rail fense to get behind. I guess some of the troops had the fense but our regt hadent eneything. Our amunition was gone. I dont believe there a catrage to a man. It was a good thing the rebs gave way just as they did. If they had charged once more we would used the cold steel. We was determined to hold our position. If they hade charged on us we would clubed muskets with them but I guess they would have taken us prisoners for there was a great odds in their numbers and ours. Tomorrow is New Years. I hope you will enjoy your self well. I wish I could be home tomorrow. I think there must be slaying up there now. It dont seeme much like winter here. I would like to take one good sleighride with you and the children. I want to see you all verry much but I want to see the baby the most. I would give a good deal to see him. I think he must be a smart little boy but I dont know but I want to see Matie just as bad. I hope it wont be long when I can come and see you all. I guess I wont write eney more to day. I wont send this untill tomorrow and see if I dont get a letter.
January the 1 /64
Dear Charlotte
We dont get eney mail to day so I will finish my letter and send it. Yesterday it was warm and it rained but to day it is cold. It froze the ground hard last knight and it snowed a verry little. The first snow I have seen this winter. I wish I knew how it is up in Broome Co but I guess it is verry cold. I wish I knew what you are doing to day. I wish I was up there to day. I hope by next New Year I will be home with you. It is the coldest here now it has ben yet. We feele it as much as we would the weather up north if we was there. Our house is pretty cold to day. We are on a high nole. The wind has fare sweep. No more this time. So good buy.
Chas Engle to Charlotte Engle