C. W. Love letter - August 18, 1862

Jas M & T A Loves:

Dear parents:
I sent a letter by hand to you a few days ago but as it may not reach you I write again by the hands of another man returning to Texas from the regmt. This leaves me in the enjoyment of good health and also the other boys from Limestone Co. except Walter Wood Bulger Peoples and William Brooks - the latter will get a discharg this evening the other two will possibly get discharges after we return from the expedition into Middle Tenn which will start tomorrow morning at 4 O,c the expedition may extend as far up as Ky and may be out for some time and possibly will not return to this place atall as we are likely the advance guard of Gen'l Braggs army which from appearances are now about to make ageneral move into Tenn toward Ky We learned yesturday that Morgan had passed out by Cumberland gap toward Ky and had attacked and captured or killed Some six or Seven Hundred of the enemy at Gallatin Tenn and also that a courier from Buel had been captured with a Message from Buel demanding conveyance for his troops ammunition and baggage so that he may be able to fall back toward the Northern States or rather as we would say retreat from the dangers of being whipped and captured by our forces -- from what we learned yesturday the enemy have retreated from Cumberland Gap and there is now no doubt that our Commanders intend making a general move against the enemy from all parts of East Tenn - There is hardly any doubt but there are Seventy five to One Hundred thousand of our troops from Chattanooga to Knoxville -- The enemy will no doubt soon be driven from Tenn and I think from Kentucky also My horse is worn down so he cannot travel and I do not know now whether I will go with this expedition into Middle Tenn or not Some of the boys who have good horses may not go if they do not I may get a horse from one of them. I can write but little as we are preparing two days rations for ourselves and horses. Hoping the almighty will protect us and bring us together again I remain fillially yours

C W Love

Love Family Correspondence. Special Collections, Burnett Library, Texas Christian University. Fort Worth, TX. (TCU Box 298400)