Cumberland Gap Tenn
August 4 1862

My Dear and Near friends unexpectly to me I recieved a letter from you all and I never in my life 
had Such feeling come over me  I hope you will excuse me for not writing to you for Shurely I have 
not  forgotten any of you many an hour I have laid on my little pallet of Straw ----------- 
wandred back to the Scenes------------my once happy days that--------have Spent with you all but 
now I am cast a way where I have no kind friend to administer to my wants but I am in hopes I won’t 
always be so when I read you letter if I had ----- out to my Self nothing would of done me more 
good than to set down and took a good cry God Bless Little Fresey  if I could see her I would be 
so glad I would like to see you all so much I would be glad to see old Arnst?  Or any thing from 
Crawford County  It looks to me like I never will get to see you all any more but if I never See you 
here  I still try to live as near right as I can altho I have many  hard tempt------to go through   
we have a   ----------preacher and I belong to --------- enter Church and take -------- so I get along 
very well I have all the necessaries and accommodation that  ----- can wish for but Still it is 
not home what a wicked place it is   if I only could step in and eat one mess of beanes with you I expect 
I would be Satisfied but that can not be at present   So I will content my Self with my lot  
I have no idea when this war will be over  perhaps never.  I have bin in Several little battle 
and had the Canon balls to whistle over my head and bullets to Sing all around me but I stood 
up to my post and let them rip   if I could just happen in Sometime and find you all at home and 
my woman and mother there I never would want to leave but I fear it will be a long time before 
that happens-----I want you to write to me and tell me what John Conrad and Bill Tedrick is doing 
by this time and all the people on the ridge  I would like to help Lafayette run his mill this 
winter but I will be in other business I recon   So I cant come  give my respects to all that 
has any respects for me   tell Margaret and Henry and Jimmy Shafer I would like to see them 
very much and would be very glad if they would write to me     tell  Uncle Jimmy and mother to 
write    I would of written oftner but for the want of Stamps  it is all I can do to keep Stamps 
to write to my better half     well as it is getting late I will quit for this time  hoping to 
hear from you soon-----love to all and more especially to granny  I never will forget my old 
friend while I live nor forget any of you    
I will write again Soon      
Direct to
E.D. Newhill
Sgt Major
“49” Ind Regt
Cumberland Gap
Tenn













Some of the letter has been destroyed with time. 
There are holes in the  letter, and thus gaps in the writing.


Letter courtesy of Kelly Gibney

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