January the 18 1863 Camp near Shelbyville tennessee
Sah Doss
Dear loving wife an children it is with pleasor i Seat my Self this evening to anser your most kind an loveing letter whitch was dated 28 it give me grate Satesfaction to hear that you was all as well as you was i am enjoying vary good at the presant and i do hope theas fiew lines will Safeley reach you an find you enjoying the same like blessing Sarah i dropt you afiew lines the 8 of this month whitch will give you a small Sketch of the battle that i was in if you get it tho Sarah i will Say that the Shilow battle was not a comparason to this an sicke as i was for i saw more dead men in one field than i Saw in the hole Shilow battle but we drove the ennimey all the time that we faut we was in the line of battle from Sunday morning till 12 o clock the next Saturday nite the fite on Saturday nite beetwint 8 and 9 o clock in the nite was the hardest contest we had but we Stod (stood) hour (our) ground an drove the enimy back an then we resevd (received) orders to face back whitch --- all this time that we was out was the worst cold an rainest time ever exspearnst all most in lifeSarah i pade (paid) capt Hanby for that corm that i got from him the Spring beefore i left that is Seteld for if it ever cames against you i want you to rite to me haw you are makeing out for Sault (salt) and all So whether you have bought aney corn an what is the chanes (chances) for you to get corn Sarah i was from the time that we left camps we was Some 20 days tell we got back to whear i cold (could) get my napsack and when i got it Some one had taken my new jeans pants out of it and i havant Sean them yet but i bought a par from capt hanby and had to pay 10 dollars for them clothing is vary (dear?) and hard to get Sarry i want you to make me a Sheall (shell) jacket an line it thru an dont put aney buttens on it i can take the butens off of my old coat an put on it i want you to put 9 buttens holes up the brest Sarah i want to no Whether you ever got that 10 dollars i Sent to you from nasville give my best respects to all enquiring frens (friends) rite as Soon as you get this letter So nuthing more at presant
A Doss to Sarah Doss