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Regiment: 2nd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned: Perryville, Kentucky
Historical Figures: Braxton Bragg, Don C. Buell
Crab Orchard Ky October 1862
Dear Uncal
I received your ltter of the 8 of this month
when I was in the Cumberlin Mountains about
8 oclock at night and I was glad to hear from you
I contained some complaint about my not writeing
but if you had known the way we have ben banged
through since we came to Louisville you would think
otherways we started from Louisville the first of October
and we have ben after Old Brag ever since we went
as far as we could into the Mountains for we could
get no feed for our horses so the Cavalry came back
and the infantry and artillery went on the last day
we followed then we killed 1 of the rascals and they
onley killed one of ours we would have a skirmish
with then evry little ways they had a rear guard
of a bout 2000 strong and a battery of 2 or 4 peaces
they fell all the timber in the road they could
to keep us back but we made them leave
some of the trees half cut down whenever they opened
there artillery on us two strong the country is so hilley
we could soon get under cover til ours came up
and then they would run of agan and so it went
all the time
the 9
th Tenn, and the 9
th and 2
nd Kentucky and our
reg, went in the advance and took turns one this
day and another to morrow when perceived your
letter we wer comeing back when we urned our
horses had not had any thing to eate for 26 hours
and then we had to go 10 miles before we could
get any thing we ar going they say to Louisville agane
and I think we will go from there to Nashville Tenn
for it is said that Brag intends to winter these and
if he does there will be warm times down there I here that
General Buel is put under arrest for accepting a bribe
from Brag to allow him to escape through Cumberland
gap all of our officers thinks that there coud have ben a
force sent to cut him of and taken his whole army
the people all say that he took of 15000 wagons loaded
with provision besides all the sheep and cattle they coul
drive the have stole it all from the people and then
they burnt up all the hay and feed they could to
prevent us from getting it iff there is any thing that
ever befell a country in the shape of a callanity worse
than war I would like to know what it is there is hundreds
of familys left destitute and forms almost destroyed the
fences almost all burned up and there houses turned into
hospitals for sick and wonded soldiers you wanted to know
how Thomas was you said that Rowing told you that he was in
the hospital he went there about the 20
th of July but he was back
before I got there but did not do any duty in the company
till after I got there but he is now on duty and well as
he ever was I am still in good helth though I feal some
what worn out with the long march the boys all say that
I am geting fat all that I can say it that I stand it better
than I expected to I have had some pretty close
calls but I have not yet ben tuched but I can saely say
I have herd bullets whistle Daniel Wells has ben un
well but is now getting better in my last letter I forgot
speak of Mooddys death I was in such a hurry and
in fact the death of ar man here is verry little thought
of with us he was killed on picket guard 12 miles
by a cannon ball from Louisville fired from a masked battery it
stuck him in the breast it was a 6 pound
shot I saw the boddy it looked pretty hard one hand
was shot of the shot hit him crooways and cut him
a cros the whole breast leying his lungs all bear
he was braught into camp the next morning the face
looked as natural as life nor did it have the pale-
ness that is usual with a ded Person he was Burryed
in Louisville you wanted to know something about
what I thought you had better do with nance I think
you had better sell her for what she will fetch if there
is not any prospect of her getting well but if there is I
think you had better keep her till spring if you think
she will have a colt but if you think she wont
I guess you had better let her go but in reguard to
takeing stock unless you can turn it of I do not think
you had better take it for I can not tell when we
will be home as for Bet if you could keep her till next
summer and make her prophetable to you I would
like you would if not. Why let her go to as for send
money I cannot tell you when I can send home
any more there is now three months pay due the
Reg. the 12 of nex month there will be two months due me
but there is no sign of any pay comeing but
I think Bill McNitt is good enough for the
money I want you to write as soon as you get this
and let me know if yo get this I wrote a letter to
you after the battle of Perrysville now know
called the Battle of Chaplin Hills I do not
say any thing about it because I know
you would know all about it before
I could tell you any thing about
all I will say about Is that it began before
daylight but the action did not become
general till a bout three oclock and it was
then one steddy blare from then still dark
we bete them out at evry point of the line
of Battle whitch was about three miles long
and had 123 Regiments that never fired
a gan Captain Lumus’s Battery from
Coldwater was in the action it is one of
the most terrific Batterys in the service
give my love to aunt and tell her I
want her to write for I have more time
to read letters than to read them
I got all the stamps
you sent Direct your letters
Company C 2nd Mich. Cavalry
It is geting dark and I must stop I cannot
promis when I can write agane
John Wasson
