1863 June 15
Thunderbolt Battery
June 15, 1863
Mrs. Nancy J. Harden
Dear companion,
I again seat myself to drop you a few lines which will inform you that I am not as well as common, though I am up and on duty. I stood guard yesterday and last night. I am drowsy now. I have some cold and cough. My cough don’t seem to get any better. If it don’t get better soon, I will stop doing duty and try to get to come home. If I wait now until my regular time to come home, it will be some time in July.
I cannot tell exactly what time I received the things that you sent me by Mr. B. Y. Brooking, and was to get it and to hear that you was well.
But I am sorry to learn that Mollie was sick. If she is not well when you get this, you must get some of the neighbors to write me a note certifying her condition, and then I can get a chance to come home. If the Doctor is tending on her, get him to write such note and send to me. If you write it yourself, the officers will not receive it, but if the doctor or some of the citizens do it or signs the same, when I show it to them they cannot doubt it.
I have no war news to write you as you have heard as much as I have even before this writing.
One of our men died yesterday, Mr. William Reeves, who lived up on the river.
We have another one in the hospital that will die in a day or two without a change. Mr. Shirley from Crawford County is dangerously sick. too. He is the one that married old Jimmy Jones’ daughter. He is a Corporal and well though of in his Company. They say without a change he will die. I will hear from him again this evening.
Corporal Shirley is no better.
I will write on all the boys every time I write.
One Sergeant is very sick also.
I will leave a space here to fill after I hear from Corporal Shirly.
Mr. Benson is sick. He has been throwing up this morning. I don’t know what is the matter with him.
Mr. Spencer is also complaining, but he is on duty today.
I wish you could imagine how many fleas there is here. I think there is forty in my socks now. I am going to have a stir among them now in a minute. If they don’t hop, I will catch some of ‘em. The whole face of the earth is full of them here. Fleas and lice here are as common as flies and gnats in Pike.
The next call that is made for troops at Savannah will be for us. General Mercer told Colonel Gordon that he had favored him just as long as he could. So, he might prepare to go if they made another call.
We have just drawn uniforms and shoes and money. I am going to sell my shoes. I drew twenty-six dollars, but I had to pay twenty of it for my watch and other things, etc.
I must come to a close.
You must write soon.
So, good-bye Jane for this time.
W. H. Harden
June 16. I am still better today.
I will close as the mail is going to start in a short time.
I want you to try to write regular every week.
Farewell.
W. H. H. N. J. H.