Edward H. Ross to his wife, Ann Ross - October 22, 1861

Dear Ann

i am only in tolerable health
I have not got intirely over the spll that I had before I got to Neworleans [New Orleans]
I have a ketch in my side that troubles me very mutch toe I am able to
do duty thoe I hvae reson to thank got that it is as well with me as it is
I have had a long and tiresom trip from Neworleans to this place
we traveled 5 dayes and nights on the cares and the only means that we
had of sleeping was on our seets
the boyes complain mitely of the hard times but I have seen a great deal
harder times than I have seen yet
we are now at the seet of war
we are in 50 or 60 miles of the enemy which is cead to be advancin on us
in 3 directions
that it is only conjectur
there is nowbody that knows but the spyes and our head officers
there is said to bee 50 or 60 thoughsand troops hear revdovosed hear now
and new recruits comeing in everyday
the enemy is said to bee at least 80 thoughsand
now one can tell anything about the numbers
the hole woods are covered in troops and from all parts of the contery
I have not seen any body yet that I new before only those that came from
Texas
there is a compiny hear from Miss DeSoto Cty but I have not seen any
of them yet
we have to have a pas to go any where in the camps
we in capet hear late yesterday evening and I have not been about mutch
yet
there is now telling when we will leave hear
hear is the battlegrond that is in view by boath parties
if so we will leave what is left of us after the battle
if there is not a battle fought hear we will leave in the corse of 2
weeks
I gues there is a nother great battle going on in Virginey
they have been fighting some 4 dayes
it is said that the southern people had killed som 25 thousand and our loss
is not known but it is uncertan about the news hear as well as in Texa [Texas]
thoe it is ceran that there is a battle going on there
if I had of had the money I could have went by your Paws
I com thew holly springs
I wrote him a letter from grand junction tenysee [Tennessee] and wrote to him to
write to me at this place
Dear Ann I have given you all the news that I have got
we have thousand of the finest aples
we by them at 5 cents a dosan
they are all ate up that is close abot the mane arma
they are haled to us by the nigers
I have the pown cake that you gave me when I started yet
I am going to eat it in the morning
Dear wife you and the children are on my mind in all of my wakefull
hours thoe we are a meny a mild a part
our seperation is all that keeps me from being a happy man
I dont think from presant circumstances that I will come home before
next spring
do the best you can and manage your buysness just like you had now husban
at all
October 23
I did not finish my letter last night
during the night I sufered very mutk with my side
it is something that I never had before
I am not sick with it but it is a ketch in my side that stops my breath
and causes very mutch pane thoe I am able yet to go about this morning
we have a norther up in Kentucky which makes it worse on me
Ann when you get this letter call the children all to gether and hug and
kiss them for me and give them all the good advise you can
I am going to write to friend Ned Houston and Laughlin and Father so if
aney of them dosnot get a letter they may kow that it is been misp(l)aced
I want them all to write to me
I want you to write me a letter with you own hands if it itakes you a week
and I will know your on hand write
just say we are all well and how you are getting are getting a long and
how you have got a long up to this time and how the stock is doing and
how you have enjoyed you self since I left
write to me about all the little things that has taken place among the
children
Dear Ann p(r)ay for me that I may do my hole duty as ashoulder for my
contry and as a fowler of the Lord Jessus Christ
I am trying to live the life of a christon thoe I have not seen aney
relijeous cervis in kamp yet it apears that all the wicked of the land
are hear
to all houman apearance the troops are all in fine spirets and are all keen
for a fight and all as a jineral thing healthey
(that) young horseman that stayed all night with us a fiew nights before
I left is my mess mate
we sleep togeth(er) these nights and he is a cleaver nice young man and a
good and a particular friend of mine
I ahve plenty of good and kind friends in my mess
the boyes that left with me are well but Bob McCan
he got his leg hurt by the wagon betwwwn Nibles bluff and New Ibery and
he has not been able (to) walk on it since thoe I think he will bee up
in a fiew dayes
I will write to Ned to morrow
I may be able to give him something new
one day may bring about a many a new thing
we have not received anything from the goverment yet but we will be able
to get any thing we need
may the Lord bless you and preserver you from all danger and harm that may
chance to assail you and if we never meet on this ea(r)th agane that we may
meet in heaven there to compose a family where seperations sorow and trubles
shall foreve(r) have an end is my prey

Yours untill death

E H Ross

N B
back you letters till I change it
Bowling Green Kentuck Capt Harises [Capt Harrison]
Compiny Terry Regiment Texas Rangers

Edward Hampton Ross Letters. Wharton County Historical Museum.