Letter #15

Fort Morton Barracks
Nashville Tennessee
Friday Sept 8th /65

Dear brother

            I was in hopes that when I wrote again I should be able to tell you when we were going to start but I am ignorant in regard to that matter yet.  We have not received any orders yet but are still expecting them evry day.  There is not anything now to write about going on in cam, it is the same thing over & over evry day nothing to do & all the time to do it in.

            The boys in Prison are not released yet & then are doing nothing about their trial.  It is the general opinion now that they will not proceed with it, but withdraw the charges & probly release them when we get ready to start home

            That man that they supposed had the Small Pox dident have it  They took him to the Small Pox hospital & kept him there a fiew days then sent him back to the Prison.

            There was quite an accident near here yesterday.  A train loaded with ammunition – powder & shells – left here in the forenoon on the North-Western road, & when about 7 miles out, it exploded.  Yesterday a report was that 20 men were killed & 100 wounded but I hear that this mornings paper only reports 3 killed.  It is strange how such things will get exagerated.

            Saturday, the 9th

            I did not finish this yesterday hopeing that I would get one from you & I was not disapointed.  Glad to hear that you are all well.  I wish I was there this week to tend the Institute but Uncle Sams orders are to long getting around but there is a consolation, they have come atlast, perhaps you will see it in the paper an order to muster out 34 Reg’t immediately the 9th 11th 29th Mich & the 1, Mich Engineers and Mechanics are included in the number that was in this mornings paper  So we feel more sure of going home soon than we did but it may be a long time yet before we get home at least it will seem long to us

            L. Archer has gone to thrashing has he.  I should think he would have all he could tend to on the farm.  The weather is very warm here, - nights are so warm we can not sleep till the latter part.  They are selling Government wagons here now at auction, they sell from 5 to 25 dollars some very good light wagons among them but the most of them are to heavy for one team.  There is acres of them here.  They are also selling most all kinds of tools & very cheap, a good chance for mechanics & farmers around her to get tools to start with again in the world.  Of cours they lost a great many during the war at least I am sure they did where Sherman went with his army, but the rich ones must make their share out of it.  Speculaters are buying most of them then they will take them to the poor man & sell them for large profit.  They always have the advantage

            I had heard that Tuttle & Gregory were going to keeping store but had not heard that Mary was going to clerking for them think it would be a good plan for her.

            You said you had traded off Nel & got a good mate for Kate, well I am glad you have got a matched span, but I did not know as you had any Kate, you see I have lost track entirely

            About horse blankets, I do not know wheather I can get any cheep or not, - I would like to send you a fiew that I have seen thrown away on the march -  How much does a new blanket cost there, perhaps I can buy some old ones of the boys when we go home but the trouble is to carry them.  I shall have as much as I can carry.  The Gornernment price for our blankets now is 7 dollars, but there is no chance to get any more from Government.

            Write again & keep writing till I tell you to stop.

            Love to all
            John K Hough