Camp Near Murfreesboro, Tenn
Dear Father
I am here a soldier in 2 Regiment East Tenn Cavalary Commanded by Col D. M. Ray from Sevierville Ten I have been in the service since November 20th, 1862 and have enjoyed excellent health all the time. Was in the battle of Stones River before Murfreesboro. The Regiment lost several men in the engagement amongst others my Capt James H. Morris he was from Knox Co Ten and was a kind man and good officer. My Co is now commanded by Capt James H. Knight I am Co blacksmith and do a good deal of work. I recd a letter from home recently bearing date May 7th 1863 it contained Sad news the death of my oldest daughter Rachael also that my wife was very unwell I could be perfectly contented here to fight for my country if things were all right at home but knowing the condition of affairs there renders me when I suffer myself to think of it unhappy indeed has it not cost us many sacrafices to be loyal in E. Tenn Yet I together with my exiled friends intend to strike for out altars and our homes until the last armed foe expires or until the flag of the free again floats as once it did over our State May the time not be long when Tenn will again be Free.
Tis impossible to tell whether the Federal Army will invade E. Tenn this summer and even if I knew it would not be prudent to write it in a letter going there knowing that letters are frequently captured and that their contents often do harm to our glorious cause of Union. There has been considerable skirmishing along our lines at this place for some days past Also some heavy fighting at _______distance fifteen miles from here and at Franklin distance about 30 miles from here the rebs were repulsed everytime with heavy loss
Remember me kindly to relations and friends
Write me if you have an opportunity
don’t fail
would afford me much pleasure to hear from you all.
To
J.B. Jones
RespectfullyW. A. Jones pr McBath —————————————–July 9th 1862
Camp Cortrel ner Cumberland Gap
Dear brother and sister it is with presure that i take my pen in hand to let you know that i am well at this time hopeing When thies few lines comes to hand that they may fine you all well and soing well and enjoying good blessing i have nothing strange tow rite to you at this time i recived you leter July the 7 wich give me grate sadisfactions to her from you one tim more i hav thought of you may time since i say when i was ____the camp in the cold rain with tears in myeise and i think of the hapy times when wee was together at hom in peese____i would like to see you well but i don;’t know whe it will be wee git the telegraf ____ever time have fite at rich mon wee hurd today that our men was giveing them thunder generel the fite is not de sided______the telegraf was that thay was fiting——
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no how long wee would stay her in Ky
you hav ____lik to you bis cant at this line i want you to tell Bet Kelley and Eliza to rite to mee tell them that i haven’t forgot them i would like to her from them the __ kind i _____ _ ____ my
___ it seem like that i wood never her from you all any more i h_____ ____ from hem since March So I must com to a close by saying When this you see, remeber me un till death
John B. Jones
To Nancy R. Jones
———————-
RichardsvilleCulpepper, Co. Va
Mr. Jas. B. Jones
Dr Sir
This is to say that your letter of inquiry after your Bro Wm S Jones dated the 1st of July 1869 was recd in due time and handed to your bro Wm who took it home to read at his leasure, saying that he would answer it soon, this is the reason why I did not write as you requested and not having the letter did not remember your address, and a few days ago I asked your bro if he had ever answered you he said he had not but had intended from time to time to do so but had as often failed, where upon I requested him to bring your letter up & I would answer it which he did yesterday, and I now proceed to give you the points as requested by the old man, He was glad to hear from you and that you and most of yours in person escaped the ravages of the late way, You say the Rebels took the most you had & in reply your bro says the Yankees completely broke him up, taking and destroying everything he had but is glad to say that through the goodness of Providence he and wife are yet living and thinks he will be able to live above want till it shall please god to take him hence to another world The old man is quite feeble times has attacks of dizziness in his head & cramp of his body so severe that he thinks he must die. The old lady is the most active of the two though she is the oldest. The old man is living at the same old place where he has lived for the last forty or more years on the Humphery’s Estate. This part of Va is rapidly recovering from the effect of the war and the appearance of the country is cheering (?) notwithstanding we have to lament a lost couse and the sacrifice of thousands of brave and valuable lives; crops of grain of every kind was good with us last year and I think if we can get rid of Carpet bag scalawag and negro rule we will soon be the people that Va could wonce bost of; In conclusion will say that you bro wishes to be remembered to you and yours in love as and hopes you will write in receipt of this & he will try and be more punctual in the future that in the past.
W D FosterforW S Jones———————–