Accept this hasty scrawl warm from the heart of your sincere husband.  The fierce wind from this afternoon has passed and now the night is cool and silent.  We are so close to the enemy that no fires are allowed but the moon is full and bright.  So bright that it causes shadows to be cast upon the ground.  Its brilliance enables me to write to you without candle or lantern.   I am employed tonight with the care of our horses.  They must always be attended and I stand to that duty now.  They at times are worse than children.  Fighting and trying to take one another's food.  As has become my custom, I think of you in these quiet times when all else take their rest.  I have been thrown into disorder by your absence and feel uneasy as of late.  My wedding band was just a moment ago exposed to the moon light and reflected its brilliance.  In my absence, I have always worn this ring and hope that you have done the same with yours.  We have been apart a long time.  It is hard for me as I am sure for you also.  Be assured that if I am assaulted with improper thoughts or tempted in any kind against my duty to you I have but to cast my eyes upon it and call to mind you who gave it to me and where it was received.  I remember that solemn time.  I will be faithful to you.  My unhappiness tonight flows from the uneasiness I know you must feel from being left alone.  I beg that you will endeavor to pass your time as agreeably as possible.  Nothing will give me so much sincere pleasure as to hear this from your own pen.  Please pursue any plan most likely to produce to yourself content and tranquility.  It would add greatly to my uneasy feelings to learn that you are dissatisfied or complaining about my military duty, that of which I could not avoid.

Today we were so close to the enemy that our pickets trade insults with them.  We call them Lincoln's baby boys.  They call us dirty rebels and such.  As our great forefather Thomas Paine wrote "Let them call me a rebel, and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul by swearing allegiance to one whose character is that of stupid stubborn brutish man.  By perseverance and faith we have the prospect of a glorious victory; by cowardice and submission, the sad choice of a variety of evils, a ravaged country, depopulated cities, habitations without safety, homes turned into barracks and bawdy houses and a future race to provide for whose fathers we shall doubt of"  I say we shall defend our Southern homes to our deaths.

The Alabama bugler is up and has sounded his bugle.  I became agitated with the confounded noise.  I was very close to putting a bullet in him.  Those Alabama boys take this army life too seriously at times.

I do not wish to cause you concern or anguish but thought it best to include with this letter my last will should I fall in defense of our Southern soil.  I am confident that I will hold you again soon but it gives me peace to finish that document.  I have written it just as we had discussed before I left.  See to it that my brother handles our affairs.  He is trustworthy and fair.  I would like to leave some of my personal items as listed in the will to those mentioned.  All else is yours to do with as you see fit.  Do not forget to give generously to the hospitals and widows of our fallen men.

The day has grown very hot.  This is strange after such a cool night.

We have been ordered to our horses.  I will finish and send this letter to the post upon my return.

The Union army had moved in the night and our Captain ordered us to search for them.  We rode into a wooded area south of the sugar mill.  It seemed as though we would not locate them there but at length we did.  We charged from the woods and assaulted the infantry.  After letting fly with only a few balls the Union cavalry set upon us.  They were in the woods also.  We held them for a moment while our infantry came quickly forward.  The Federal force was stronger than we had anticipated and we were pushed back.  Men fell and were captured.  The front was organized and held, each adversary trading shot for shot.  The artillery was noticeably silent but their time would come.  It was more than we could do to keep the flanks of the infantry safe.  Wave after wave of Union cavalry brought the battle to us.  Our cavalry was outnumbered by three to one.  As quickly as one charge was repelled, another took its place.  We could not regroup or organize ourselves under their relentless charges.  During the battle, we did not even have time to reload our weapons.  We had to retreat long enough to rally and reload.  Our company neverously fumbled with spare cylinders as the sweat flowed freely from both men and horses.  Each man felt the dishonor in the abandonment of our brothers but without ammunition we could do nothing.  Our infantry was fighting bravely and trying to hold our ground but it was useless.  We were pushed back further.  Reinforcements came up for our infantry and the tide of battle changed.  Hopes were raised for a moment but soon dashed as the Federals advanced with more determination.  The Union cavalry was sighted trying to get through our right flank and behind our artillery.  We rode to their challenge.  A fierce fight broke out around the artillery.  The infantry was soon pushed back to the corner of the field.  There the battle ended and all fell silent.

I have some sad news.  Yesterday our Col. Johnson was cut down in battle.  We have retrieved his body and will send it home.  His life was a sacrifice and his sacred honor attended him to his death and it remains behind him an untarnished legacy to his posterity and his Confederate brothers in arms.  He has distinguished himself in every engagement by his courage and fortitude.  He was first a great commander in battle and an exceptional gentleman off the field.  A soul as pure and benevolent as his has nothing to fear in the life after.  You and the women at home in giving to this cause your sons and husbands sacrifice more courageously than we men. In battle we can only give but one life on the field.  You women have the misfortune to survive those who have fallen and whom they love most.  I am sure that the sacrifices of our women are no less than the most heroic of our soldiers.

This day is overcast and gloomy reflecting the feelings of our defeated army.  The Union has not left this area.  They have shifted to our west flank with a large lake to their backs.  This is an easily defended area and I fear that our losses will be great.  The order to prepare for battle has come.  This we accept this order with mixed emotions.  Some are eager to avenge the losses of yesterday, some fear the losses of today still we ready ourselves.  The Chaplin known only as Roger is busy talking with some for the last time.  Our company mounts and rides to the enemy.

We had gotten badly needed reinforcements in the night.  The Yankees are confident in their previous victory and feel they have no reason for fear.  Our infantry is resolved to the last man that the victory today will be ours.  This will be a bloody battle.

The artillery opened up with a vigor that I have not been witness to before.  The Union artillery answered.  We were assigned to protect our infantry whose backs were to the wooded area.  The Union cavalry charged from the woods as our Confederate army advanced and engaged the Union men.  Although outnumbered again today, we held our ground determined to protect our infantry.  The battle raged in all areas of the field.  Again men fell and again men moved to take their place in the fight.  Push after push was soon resulting in a steady gain of the field.  The Union refused to yield and the killing continued.  Our cavalry was constantly engaged and ran from side to side protecting our flanks.  We ran low then we were out of ammunition.  The officers knew that the decisive blow had to be delivered and it had to be now.  Artillery, infantry and cavalry all were low on ammunition.  The infantry fought closely and massed for a gallant charge.  I fired my last shot as the order for the infantry to charge was given.  With a chilling rebel yell the mass of men ran to and swarmed over the Union position.  I could only watch with a satisfied sense of victory and a feeling of sorrow for the fallen men moved through me.  It was done.  This day we faired much better and with the momentum established by the welcome site of our reinforcements were able to regain our lost ground and achieve a victory.

The weather has changed again.  It is raining hard and we have been ordered to Flat Lake.  I will write again soon.
Death alone can only loose my heart from your grasp.  Your husband