london Ky February the 8 1862
Dear Wife 
 I sit down this morning to let you no that I am able to rite you a letter
  I guess Decker rote to you about me being in the hospital  I was thare
 three days and the regment started  I gethered my napsack and got on leroy 
off horse  I rode some and walked some  we have marched 3 days and stoped 
here last nite  I feel better than I did when we started here  I have got 
the chills now  we will stay here till we get further orders  it is about 
30 miles to where we started  we started to Barbersville  Thare we are to 
join a briggade under general carter  I learn he is to be in our campto day  
now we are in about 50 miles of cumberland gap  it is suppposed that we will 
have a battle thare  now Rachel I received a letter from you last nite and 
was glad to hear that you was all well and to hear that the nabors had cut 
you some moore wood  it makes me think tha wont let you suffer  I got 2 
leters from you last week  one of them contained the death of Allen Decker  
you rote somthing that I could not make out  it said something about that 
fracus between me and Davis  I thought from the way it red someboddy had 
paid of that judgment that Davis served me on  it said something about 
someboddy giving Dock Tolson some money  now Rachel you wonted to no if I 
had good clothes and socks  I have plenty  I have one good pair socks I 
never had on and one pair drawers and one shirt that I never had on  we 
have plenty to eat though it is tolerable rough when a man is not well  
we cant get any more straw to lay on  we have to get leaves and brush to 
lay on  it makes a verry good bed  now Rachel you say that you want my 
likeness  I would be glad to send it to you but thare is no chance to get 
it taken and if thare was I havent got the money  the talk is now that we 
will get our money before long  now Rachel if I ever have any chance I will 
send my likeness to you and I wont you to do the same by mee  I would giv 
anything to have your likeness  now we have ben travling through the 
roughefest country I ever saw  the bal nob is nothing to compare with these 
hills  this part of kentucky looks like starvation for Zollycoffers armey 
went through here and stole everthing tha could get and burnt fence rails 
as tha came to them  if the people lives through here you need not fear 
where you live  tell unckel Mack and elvin and thare famleys that I would 
like to see them all  But as we cant see each other tell them I would like 
to have a letter from them  now Rachel I am glad to hear that you are 
still trying to live religous and that you pray in your little famley  now 
Rachel keep up famley prayer  it is a great comfort to me to think that you 
are determine to rais the children rite  god bless you all  I would like to 
see you all and bow around the famley alter with you  Now I have rote about 
all that is necissary at this time  you must all still remember me and pray 
for me often  tell all my old friends to rite to me  you must rite as soon 
as this comes to hand  direct your letter to london Ky 49 Regment indiana 
volunters in care of captain Riter

Davis S Morgan to Rachel Morgan

Now Jane I do hope this will find you and Rachel geting along well  I would 
like to see you and Mary  you must rite often  farewell for the present  
yours truly


* as always, I do not correct the spelling or change the text.