Shelbyville Bedford County, Tenn
March 25th 1863

Jas M & T.A. Loves:

Dear parents:

It has been but a little while since I wrote to you but having a good chance with a good pen and ink and tolerable paper I write again that you be the more certain of hearing from me I am not well at this time and have not been for some time past but have not felt much debilitated until within the last three or four days. I have been having Diarrhea with loss of appetite and slight inward fever: almost the entire Regt are in a similar condition. Dick Oliver has been so for some time and is out the countryWm Lynch & Terry Wilie are at the wagons they are however able to do duty at this time: on account of the conduct of some of the men of the various Cavalry Regts about this army we are now under tighter orders than ever before - We now have Roll Call five times a day whether in camp or on the march any man missing roll call three times in succession without leave of absence from a Brigade or Major General is to be put in irons sent to the rear of the army, his horse and arms to be taken from him and he put into the nearest Infantry regt from his State and other instances where they are absent without leave for a few days they are to be considered deserters and shot accordingly I have heard nothing from Sam & John in a good while I have not been able to learn yet whether Phifers Brigade is with this army or not there are however about ten thousandof Vandorns men at arms about Columbiathey had a fight near Franklin some time ago in which there were some twenty two or three hundred prisoners taken and report has it that we lost about one hundred men killed wounded and missingabout thirty of them killed. There has been some Skirmishing along the picket lines but with the exception of the fight at Fosterville on the half way around Shelbyville and Murfresboro and Vandorns there has been none of any consequence since the battle of Murfresboro I heard some time ago of the fall of Arkansas Ft but did not know until lately that any of our boys were captured there. We have heard from Felix Kennedy and Wm. Slaughter since I wrote last they were taken prisoners at Murfresboro and at some point as they were on their way North each of them met a brother who had been taken at Arkansas post -- I suppose they will be exchanged soon if it has not already been done.

There will no doubt be an important move here in a short time. Forage is getting very scarce in the vicinity of the army and it is very hard to get in some places atall in fact considerable Districts are destitute and it has to be hauled to them from a considerable distance There is therefore a necessity for a move and if Providence spares me until I see the move through all its course I will write you what it is -- Write as often as convenient and let me know all about home and things there about I would like very much to see grand pa again -- I saw cous J L Webb a few days ago he and family were in good health they are at a Mr Kings about four miles from here now but it is hard to get an opportunity to go and see them. Cous Jns say he is going to Texas when I go out after the war -- May the Almighty grant us the privilege -- Yours in filial regard etc

C.W. Love

I learned a day or two ago that Uncle Andrew was at home by a letter from Elizabeth written to John and Sam but directed through mistake to me