HENDERSON COUNTY, TN - LETTERS - John C. Smith to wife Lucinda J. Payne Smith, 29 Aug 1864 ----¤¤¤---- NOTE: From John Culpepper Smith to Lucinda J. Payne Smith. Written on pale blue unlined paper that is folded book-like in the middle. Overall size 10 ¾"x16 ¾". Capitalization and sentence breaks added by transcriber. RGE 2003 August 28th 1864 Near Duck Hill Station Carroll County Miss My Lucinda J Smith my dear loving wife I take my pen this Sunday morning to let you hear from me my travails for nearly the past month. I left Shanon Station with my command on Sunday morning the 7th of this month. I went to Pontotoc. Staid their till the evening of the 9th. My health being bad I was put on the sick list back in the direction of Okolona with the disable horses of Bells Brigade under the controle of Lieutenant Paz of Rusills regiment. We marched some six miles that eavening camped for the night. Next morning the 10th we started. Came on to Okolona drew our rations went one mile south east of town and struck camp and remained their till Friday, 19th. We started out till about two hours by sun in the evening. We got in Pontotoc County camped for the knight started early next morning the 20th. Came on to Sarepta thence to Banner, traveled till dark struck camp in Calhoon County. Started early next morning 21st came on to ****ville about twelve Oclock. Stoped their till about two Oclock Monday the 22nd. From thence to Grenada Yalabusha County got their just at knight. On Tuesday the 23rd I went out two miles west of Grenada to visit Magdalene Payne at her fathers house Mr. John Gibbs. I was wellcomed and kindly treated as the husband of Lucinda Payne. William Paynes youngest sister Magdalene looks like she enjoyed good health and has the appearance of being a fine lady. I did not sea any of her children all of her boys is in the army but one. I disremember his name he has bin in the service but has bin wounded and disabled for (unknown words) and left home the morning before I got their. In the evening Magdalene regeted (regretted) his being gon very much so I might hav sean him. She said he favored you so much. He is gon down somewhere on the river. One of Magdalenes boys fell in the chickamango fight. The oldest one is still in the Virginia army. One of her daughters is married and living in Grenada. Magdalenes father and mothers health is very feable hardly able to be up most of their time. The old man told me his age was seventy six years. (Page break) Magdalene told me when I wrote to you a gain to send you much love for her and said if ever an opportunity affored after this was settled she would visit her relations in Tenn. She has the likeness of William Payne put up in a very large frame with a large looking glass on the opposite side of the room so you could sea his picture on either side of the house. I think it to be as fine a looking picture of a man as ever I saw. It stands as tho he was preaching or addressing a congration. In the morning of the 24th after breakfast I caught my horse. After spending over an hour to take my leave of these amiable old people and newly aquainted sister in law her sister and sister in law which was all present I first went to the old ladys room to bid her goodbye for the first and perhaps the last time but not without an invitation to visit the Paynes a gain if circumstances permited. The good old mother taken my hand and held it long and expressed her many good wishes for my wellfair and safety and given me a short but good dissertation on the duties of man toward his divine maker for which I kindily thanked her. As we parted I shuck hands with the balance of the family and started. Magdalene went out to the gate. where we talked some minits before I taken my final leave. I got back to camp at Grenada about 11 Oclock in the morning. I staid in camp till next morning the 25th when all of the men that had horses able for service was ordered to report to their respective commands and all that had sore back or broke down horses report at cars (?) on foot to go to the front with the exception of one man to every ten horses that was left. It fell to my lot to take charge of the refused or condemned stock for recruiting the. We started south went about ten miles down the rail road to Duck Hill Station thence *** miles put the horses in a lot. Staid their till the evening of the 26th then moved about half a mile to a pasture where we are till yet. How long we will stay here I can not tell likeily some time. My health has not bin any thing light (like) good since I wrote to you last. My bowels hav bin running off easly all the time for a month not more than one or two days ease at a time but I feal considerabley beter today. How long I will I can not say probily some several days I hope will turn over. (Page break) I truly hope if ever you get this letter it may find you and our dear little children in the best of health and still enough to liv on for I am fearful people will be bothered to get salt unless the yankes can be kep back and the rail road built up to Corinth then it will be worth from $4 to $40 per bushel in confederate money. It was worth thirty four dollars per bushel at Okolona the last time I was their but the people of this secion say its worth fifty dollars per bushel if down here. Whither it will get any higher or not I cant tell. I hav bin uneasy about you and our precious little ever since you last wrote as Allys throat was sore and the flux was raiging in the neighborhood. I never wanted to be home any worse in life from that time to now and if my horse hadent of binn so near run down and my own health so little better I should hav made the start before now but I was fearful the bush whackers of McNary County would catch me or shoot me on the road but I intend to come the first chance. My bowels has not bin running off for two days past and I feal like I was brand new. **** I think I will be well as ever shortily. I suppose my command is now at Oxford and the yankeys had folen (fallen) back to Lagrange. General Forest taken Bells and Nealeys Brigade went in to Memphis and brought out a fine bunch of prisoners. I saw the prisners cross the river at Grenada. Was told their number was three hundred & 67 of them in the bunch. I did not see the captured horses but understand our men got five hundred of them and came out. I here the yankeys lay ded in piles but I do not know how that is, its only captured here. I will get writing (lost section) by (unknown). Write every chance you have and when you write tell me how you are getting on and hither any body is staying with you or not. I don't remember of you menchening (mentioning) in any of your leters whither you was by your self or not or who was staying with you. Fairwell my loving wife for this time To Lucinda J. Smith J. C. Smith Same as ever until Death August 29th 1864 (On the last page, folded to create center section) Mrs. Lucinda J. Smith Scotts Hill Henderson County Tennessee (Sideways on same section) ****** will please forward this to R. S. ***** or Lucinda J. Smith or John Wood. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: R. Easley ___________________________________________________________________