Crab orcherd*  Ky

				January 24 1862
Dear Wife

We have just got here and pitsed our tents and I snatch this opportunity to drop you 
a few lines to let you no that I am well and able to March  We left camp young tuesday  
this is fiday eavning  We will stay here tomorrow and probily till Monday  We are now 
106 miles from louisville  We are bound for cumberland gap  We have had pike all the 
way here but now we have to take the mud  it is about 75 miles up to the gap yet  
it is posable that we may have to fight a battle up thare  thare was a Battle last 
week down here at summerset  We gained a glorious vcitory  colonel fry of the 4th 
Kentucky Regment killed old Zollieffer(1)  tha killed 4 or 5 hundred Rebels  
took a thousand stand of arms 80 horses and lots of wagons and provisions  our loss 
is about 100 killed an wonded  Now Rachel I have not got any letter 
from y this week  But it was because we was marching  I think I will get one tomorrow  
I would inform you that I had a verry sor arm when we left camp young but leroy(2) 
hauled my napsack for me till today I packed it  I got along fine  this is the finest 
day we have had for sometime  it makes me think about sowing oats  I dont no whether 
we will get the Rebels cleaned out in time to sow oats or not  I think we will in time 
to cut them our paper states that the Rebes enlistment will be out the first of february 
and tha are talking of going home  I dont no how this will be  Now Rachel I will inform 
you that we have plenty to eat and and we have all ways had straw to lay on  leroy and 
me went about a mile yester eavning after straw  thare was ten wagon loads besides ours  
our colonel says we shal have straw if tha dont wont to give it up we will tak our guns 
and get it anyhow  I like solgering now better than I did at the start so turn over   
Now Rachel I hope this will find you all well and doing well  I wont to see you and the 
children verry bad and I do hope we will be permitted to see each other again in this 
world  Now I will inform you that we found the stars and stripes 
waving in ever town between here and camp young   We passed through springfield and 
Haysville and Danville and Stantford and Crab orcherd and others two teadious to name  
the ladies have small flags and hankerchiefs in great numbers  I was tickeled at one young 
lady  she waved her hankerchief and said old Zolly is Dead  the people seems to rejois 
in the death of the reble general  some thinks his men will scatter and go home  we have
not got all the peticklers of the battle yet  we understand last nite that our men had 
Wiped the Rebels out down at Calumbus and was expecting a fight today at Bowlingreen  
if our men routs old Buckner the war will nearley be wound up in kentucky  Now we will 
have to work the road as we go  I guess we will have to work on the road tomorrow
 turn   tell father mack and elvin to come over here and let us go down to tennissee  
rite for I expect we will be in tennissee by the first of March  I would not be astonished 
if we go over in tennissee to tear up the frankford and Nashville rail Road  I will close 
on the war subject

to uncle Mack and elvin and famley
Dear friends  hope this will find you all well  now I wont you all to remember I am 
trying to live religous  I pray often  I pray for you all and for myself  I no if I 
am spared it will be through the Merces of god  Dear friends I often think of you all 
at home  if I dont see you anymore in the world I wont to meet you all in the good World 
you must rite to me as soon as this comes to hand 
Direct your letter to louisville 49 Regment Indiana volunters  
tell Emley that BB(3) is well and will rite in a few days  farewell for the present  
your husband

				David S Morgan to Rachel Morgan


* as always, I do not correct the spelling or change the text.
(1) Confederate General Felix K. Zollicoffer, killed at the Battle of 
    Mill Springs, Ky.
(2) Probably Kearly, Leroy S. Wagoner, Company G. (probably hauled it in the wagon)
(3) B.B. is most likely Bazil B. Decker, Company G.