Edward H. Ross to his wife - December 7, 1861

Dear wife

I received you favoret dated November 8th which was a sorce of great
sadisfaction to me
it came to hand on 6 inst
I have red it over untill I have all most got it by hart
I have recieved but the one letter from you since I left hom enad it is the
only letter I have recieved from any body
I had almost concluded that you and everybody else had forsaken me
your letter fond me in good health but I am brought to the necesity of
anouncing to you the death of sevearl of our brave boyes that left that
neighbornhood with me Richard Mumphord Ben Johnson Green vaun
we have lost 6 out of our compeny all with meassle first and then ketch
cold and take the pnumony
all but 2 died in Nashvill [Nashville] at the hospital
we have had a boun(d)ance of sickess in our regement but all geting better
so farr as I can hear there is a great many returning from the hospittle thoe
there is not ma(n)y of your own compny come back yet
McCann Graham Ravels are still in the hospital but are mending fast
we have had now fight yet but still expectin one
we have moved 12 miles north east of Bowling green in advance of the mane arma
we are still scouting round taken up everybody that we find baring arms that
cant prove himself all right on the goos and have cought some free nigers
agreat ma(n)y yankes have fled and left his part of the contry in fact all of
the real blew belied yankes
we are stationed at ones form that the place and (s)tuff that was left on it is
worth 50 thousand dollars
all of this corn wheat tobaco cows horses mules is on the place and we have
full porcesion of them all or at least they belong to Unkle Jef
I cant begin to give you a list of all that he left blacksmith shop thrasher
and the finest gardan that you ever saw
I went in the garden yesterday and brought a bagfull of cabage white heads the
finest that you ever saw
there is houses barnes stabels hous rooms a nugh to do the hole regement but they
are as yet all but the dwelling full of grane and tobacco and we have made a hospital
of the dwelling
I donot ow harris blankenship any beef stear at all and if he still claims it tell
him to wait till I com back and I will settle withe him
I am proud to hear that you have got a school so near to you for Sarah gane and David
Glen to go to school and I am also very glad to hear that you had your wheat and rye
sowed and that you hogs are doing well but you said nothing about yoru sheep cattle
or horses
I wold like to hear from them all but all I want to hear from you and the children
if you new how proud I was to hear from you you would write offener
I want you and Ned to write to me twist a month
write to me what they are doing with the land debt and what they are doing with
them nots that smith and Acamond had of mine
doubtless you will be at Fathers when you get these lines
beshured that I will not forget you in in your aflictions that I know you will shorly
have to pass threw
I have not forget you nor nether have I forgot to pray for you nor nether will I
ever forget you till the latest breath
I have gon threw a great ma(n)y vicisitudes of life but i am the same (unreadable) yet
write to me how mutch you got for the beaves and who got them
ell Ned I long to see him and spend more plaursfull hours with him for onst to
bee with him all nigh(t)
take a bee gum and take a (unreadable) make and chew of tobacco and tell him to write
to me onst a month shore and tell all who wanst to hear from me to write to me and
I will write them
tell carel to write and I will write to him
tell Father and Mother that I have not forgot them and Jef and wanst to be remembere
by all of them
I hearin inclose you five dollers and I will cend you five dollers more in a fiew
days
I do not know ehther it will pass at (unreadable) or not but it will pay store acont
it will do no more
write me soon and let me know wether it will pass or not
tell Sarah gane Cary Willia Margret to gether a bushel of pecans and keep them
untill spring and maby I will be there to eat them
tell them to bee good boys and girls that Paw has not forgot them
tell Sarah Jane and Gary to study there books well
that is the way for them to het to bee men and wiman soon
I have not goet now letter from your Paw yet
I wrote to him at Grand Junction as I came to this place
Dear Ann I must bring my letter to a close
may the Lord bless you and let his choiset blessings rest a pown you and keep you
from all danger and harm is my pray

your affectionate Edward untill death
E H Ross

Edward Hampton Ross Letters. Wharton County Historical Museum.