Crab orchard Ky Feb 1st 1862 started at 12 o’clock and marched to Dick River crossed it on a log marched on to a meeting house and camped for a day or two at Camp Kane the road is very muddy this is Rock Castle County the land of the poorest quality very rough and has plenty of yellow pine and a great deal of undergrowth such as laurel ivy huckley berries and hoop poles here we have a hard time it rains nearly all the time and no straw but plenty of willow pine to warn our tents with. Camp Kane Feb 4th 1862 Started at Sunup and marched on to Mount Vernon which place we reached about 10 o’clock then marched over the ruffest hills that I ever saw and the poorest country that i ever saw it would no raise white beans Camped at Camp Nafeano(Vafeano?) 1 mile from rock castle river where we could not fine level ground enough to camp on Feb 5th Started at Sunup and marched to Rock Castle River Crossed it an marched on to Camp Wild Cat where we arrived at 1/2 past 9.o.clock halted and and now the viewing begins and now while I am trying to describe the place workd cannot tell my thoughts but where the rebels was in a hollow while the Union troops was about 2 or 300 feet above them and there ground was covered with down timber and underbrush I am now sitting on the breast works with the Ohio boys But as I try to describe I shall move about from place to place I am now sitting by a rebels grave and I can see his mouth and the following in- scription is written on a small dogwood tree by his grave (these men have received there Southern Rights and are Dead and dammed and discharged from this world and we hope there will be no resurrection in the next for them James Orton) I saw some of their hand and feet and faces sticking out of the round and they were all rebels three of the Ind Boys here too and they were Buried somewhat Decent the hill about here are well fortified and I see Pine But Some of it was very bad but after we left Crab Orchard we had * the road as we went get Provision to live. Mark P. butler I am well and in good health but I am here among the strangers and no one to care for me when unwell therefore I would much rather be in some other Regiment where I have some friends but I expect I shall remain here as long as the war lasts but as long as I am blessed with good health and get plenty to eat and ware I shall be satisfied but I first wanted to go before I ever volunteered and the I shall be and then I shall be petty sure of seeing the Hon William G. Brownlow and then he shall be freed from his Confinement >From Your Affectionate Brother Mark P. Butler *corners of letter missing "His mother told him when he came home from the war that he had to sit in the smoke house because of body lice he had to get rid of before he could come in the house." Melissa Beene
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