Illustration on the stationary of one of Harrison’s letters to his sister.
Dewater raises several interesting points in this letter. He says that men who marry to avoid serving in the army are cowards and traitors. He tells his sister Ann to tell all the girls that their boyfriends who have not enlisted are not manly. Uncle Joseph is still recovering slowly from the wounds he suffered in late December.
He then asks about matters at home, including some issue between Uncle Jeremiah and a Mr. Lewis. He asks Ann to send all the news from home as well as all news about the progress of the war. He wants to send home an additional $40 of his pay when he gets a suitable opportunity and he mentions that they are eating well even if it means requisitioning food from Southerners.
It’s interesting to note that he includes a rumor that they are about to move out from Hillsboro in the next day or two. Actually, it will be a week later on August 16 that the13th Michigan will move out with the rest of the Army toward Georgia.
Camp of 13th Mich Infantry Co H
near Hillsboro Tennessee
Satuary August 9th 1863
Dear sister Annie & all of the rest of them your letter was received yestardy & was very glad for i had anxiously wating the arivele of it it found me all well as well as a Soldier could wish for th[e] car[e] that they get all of the Boys are in pretty good health we have lost 2 Sence we have ben in this Camp out of Co D both of them Alvin Holmes is well & sends his best respects to you & all of the rest of them thare is some take [talk] of leaving hear in a day or to [so] you was speeking about Directing letters Direct to the same place for it all ways comes to the Regiment Direct to the same place untill i let you no Diffrance it will come to the Regiment any whare you was telling about George Cambell was Married you just tell the Girls that them that has Beaus or gets married that they get nothing but a coward & Traiter to their Country & they are no man at all for a man that will stay at home in such a time as this is no man just no man just tell all of the Girls so for Tip & about Unkle Joseph was getting along slow the last that i heard of them we are waiting ancously to hear of the Downfall of Chalston then i begin to think that it will Soon play out how is Unkle Jermiah getting along i havent heard from him in a long time how did he & Mr Lewis get along with their matters has Unkle Jermiah get the place back or does Lewis keep it when you write write all the news all about the War & all the other news & what wheat is worth & all about it tell Father that i have got $40 Dollars to Send him when i get a chance but chances is very slim for i will not send it untill i do get a good chance i doubt i would send it by male but it is to far bfore it gets to some station we begin to get more to eat then we did so i guess that we wont starve for when we cant get it aney other way we will draw on the Southern Confedracy then we Draw Sheap Hogs Hens Bacon meal milk & aney thing that we can get some times we cant all ways find it what a Soldier wont do cant be done for their in all kinds of mischief thy hefto wach them all the time
So i cant think of any more to write i will write if we move & tell you more about it i must close for the male is going out this from your
Brother
Harrisen
Dewaters
Write soon
excus all mistakes
dont forget to send them stamps 50 cents