Louisville Ky Sept. 29th, 1862

Friend Ed,
     I have received two 
letters from you since I wrote 
to you last, but will explain by stating 
that I have not had an opportunity 
to write since the 20th of August till 
we arrived at this city two days since 
I suppose you know that we have been 
surrounded on all sides part of the time 
by rebels but have finally reached the 
                                                                    whole
Ohio River and are now living on half^
rations. We have marched over five weeks 
and lived on half rations have where 
we could make it up by stealing from 
the citizens. On our line of march
there is but little left. Every beef, hog,
chicken, and sheep having been killed
by the soldiers, and the orchards and
corn fields having been stripped

for food, and forage for the mules. 
McCooks Division crossed the Cumberland 
Mountains, pushing up our wagons 
one one side and holding them back 
going down the other.
     Ed, I am happy to hail you 
as a brother in arms and are 
glad you didn’t wait to be drafted. 
I suppose a little advice from one 
who has had a years experience 
will not be rejected? When you can
        ground
avoid it don’t sleep on the ^ but rather 
cutbrush, and spead your blanket on 
that without regard to the fatigue
you may feel after a hard days
work. I eat plenty of peppers especially 
on fresh beef. And be sure that 
whatever you eat is well cooked
and not eat meat, half raw.
Drink as little water while on
the march as you can get
along with.


Well Ed I hope you may come
this way before long, and if you 
do Just hunt up McCooks Division 
and make me a visit, and I promise 
you at least hard Bread and [illegible in original] 
meat, something you don’t get 
at home. My cousin received a 
letter from his brother stating that 
he had enlisted in the 3th Mich 
Cavalry, and from what you both 
wrote of the manner of farming 
the  Regt I infer you are both 
in the same Rgt. His name is 
Jonas McGowan. If you meet 
him give him my respects.
     I believe Nell owes me a letter 
tell him to pay up. My love 
to your folks. I shall always
esteem them my best friends.
And I hope I may visit them in
a few months. Excuse this
hastily written missive as I have
been filling up payrolls.
Sincerely yours Rene