Camp Perry Tennessee Dec 2 1862/Mrs Lydia Longfellow

Dear wife,

We are now in Camp Near Memphis Tennessee about 640 miles from home. we had a very Pleasant trip down the Mississippi River. the weather was cold when we left Indianapolis But it is Quite Pleasant here. the air is cool and raw but not what we call cold in the norther. water does not freeze here and the inhabitants say that it never gets much colder here

I wrote you while I was at Indianapolis and I wrote you on Board the steamer Chancellor forty miles above here on last sunday and I thought I would write now and tell you where we are. I will still write when ever I can it will make no difference to you so I pay the postage.

When I wrote you last I said I had the headache and I took a chill just after I got done writing and was quite sick that night. But I feel quite well to day I think it was a deep cold I had takin. I forgot to tell you in either of my other letters about Buying what they call a Soldiers Memorial. While at Indianapolis I had them shipped to Richmond in care of William Campbell our old cook. I suppose you have got yours before now

I want you to write often as you can and also the Children. send them thick & fast and maybe I will get some of them.

if ever this war comes to an honourable close I intend to spend one Fall & Winter in Arkansas hunting. I saw as we came down the River hundreds of wild geese and other fowls. and on the Arkansas side there is thousands of acres unsettled where there is plenty of game altogether its a beautiful country I hope now to live to come here on a pleasure trip with you and I intend to do it if we both live (and live together). it is cheap travelling on the Boats and very Pleasant

The Darkies are playing thunder generally here they have an encampment just above here there is reported to be about three thousand of them and they dont work only when they are paid for it They have some guns & when any of their Rebel Masters come after them they give them their walking papers double quick. they cut wood for the union army. and Uncle Sam pays them for it. and they are just as free as any boddy.

Our Boys are all in good spirits and mainly well. Henry Reynolds has the Measles. Thomas Cox has sore throat Two noble fellows. they are not dangerous

I think I have the best set of Boys in the World. they all treat me kindly. and I try to treat them the same way: it is generally thought here that there will not be much more fighting. the Residents here think that the Rebels will Cave under before long.

I must stop writing. I have wrote more now than you can read. I expect I forgot and thought I was just talking to you. {Hollingsworth is looking for his wife to come down here to see him. She comes every week you know}

Give my respects to all. Henry Nickols and Alf Price in particular

Write often direct to/Capt Longfellow Co. E/69th Ind. Vols. Memphis Tenn

let all read this that wishes to read it and tell them all to write to me

Yours forever/C Longfellow

[On verso]: inclosed I send you my Kirby Smith Parole I want you to take care of it I dont think I want it any longer. also Georg Freemans hand his to his wife.