Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/painter-william/
Regiment: 22nd Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: William S. Rosecrans
Sunday Morning May 3rd 1863
Nashville, Tennessee
Dear Sir
I will try and inprove they present Opertunity by Writing a Few line to you to let you know that I am Well and injoying good health and I hope these few lines Will find you all they Same it is very Warm hear in fact I may say hot for it is very hot some days they com that is up hear and about six or eight high We left Kentucky they fourteenth day of April Wee came by they cars from Lebanon to this plase Nashville is a hansom City for a Sothers City I have Been to they State Capital of Tennessee and all through it Is Said to Bee they Second Largest and hansomest Building in they United States it is a Splendid Place I went all through it I was in they Senate Cahmber and in they House of Representatives They Eagle is Still over they Goveners Chare yet and all they Emblems of they United States are still in they Capital yet all though they Rebbles held thare first Congress it it Thare is a Fort Bilt allround it and Large Cannons Mounted in they fort for they denfence of the City I also visited they Residence of President James K. Polk it is a Splendid Place hee is Buried in they Dooryard in front of his house thare is a large marble toom over his grave Every Thing looks neet around his manshion it is near the State house I think that every thing is put six weeks Earlier hear than it is in Michigan for I saw Please Blond out in they gardens they other day We are incamped in they subburbs of they city Wee have dug a intrenchment in front of our camp they are puling down some splendid houses near Our camp and Cutting down groves of Shade tReS to Build a fort they have Pressed all they Diggers they culd find and put them to building they fort and choping down trees in front so they can range they guns they have already got five hundred niggers to work on they fort But they have a hard work to make them do much for they are very lasey But it is an old saying Constant droping will ware a stone in time So a lot of nigers will build a fort in time Generall Rosencrance is making all they Secesh fish or cut brick hee is pressing every horse for they Calavery that is good for anything I tell you it makes some of them feel bad to loose thare fancy horses One woman ofered a thousand dolars if they wold let her have her horse back again Every Woman man or Child that pasess they picket have to procure a pass from the provost marshall and Bee searched in they Bargan before they can pass if they are coming in they are Sent to they Provost Marshall Office and examaned before they are let go Every man or woman have thare choice to take they Oath of Alegance or Bee sent to the Rebbles lines thare is Private police in this city aresting every man and woman that talks seecesh they send them Beyond they Picket lines away from thare homes and property they have to bee Union or keep thare mouth closed for if they are heard talking against they union they are taken care of in quick time to So you see if a man was to talk as they do in Pontiac they would soon find a safe laying place I saw John Chamberlan to day hee is well his Regiment is about a mile from ours Now Walter I want you to write and let me know all they news you can I wrote you a letter from Lancaster and one for Danville But never Received aney answers from they But I do not know whare you got them or not Now Walter I sent 26 Dolars to Hannah by Mister Toms of Pontiac and I never received any answer from her Since so I do not know Weather she got it or not I also sent 20 Dollars by Express from Lebanan and five Dolars in a letter from this place now Walter I want you to writ and let me know if she have Received it or not I have not received any leter from Hannah Or you in six. Weeks now Walter you must give my love to my wife and your wife and all inquiring friends I supose you have heard that Charles Soper was Dead hee died the 22nd day of April With they Cronick Diearah Hee was not sick long I saw they 8
th Regiment at Lebanon But thare was a great many of them poor Felows missing I must conclude with these few lines hoping to hear from you soon so good this time Please Write soon I remain yours
Adress
Truly W. Painter
Company D 22nd Michigan Infantry
Nashville, Tenessee
