Knoxville, Tenn.

Dec., 14th 1863.

Sister Jennie,

I have got around to the regt. once more, or to the camp of regt, the regt is about 28 miles from here at present but we expect them back in a few days. There are a good many of the boys here. Lieut. Callender is here and also Lieut. Meek. Lieut. Meek got here yesterday about the same time I did. I left Cumberland Gap the 10th of Dec. and got here yesterday about noon. The 2d day after we left the Gap a train of our regt. that was bringing our overcoats through that were [?] over at Bowling Green last spring over took us and we got all our things hauled and I rod through in the ambulance. You better think I was glad to get beck again. The boys have saw hard times since they have been down here and some fighting. Most of the time they lived on green corn and were glad to get that. Our regt. fought the rebs the 15th of Nov. near Loudon there were three of our regt killed and several wounded. The killed were all from Co. P. two from Co. M were wounded Harry Sweet and Wm Hemenway neither of them very seriously although Hemenway was left on the field or taken to a house supposed to be mortal wounded. Milton Sharp stoped with him and thought he would take care of him but our forces were driven back and Milton was taken prisoner. He might have known the rebs wouldn’t let him stay to take care of a wounded man one of our Drs told him to stay or I guess he wouldn’t stoped. some of the boy got a pass a day or so ago and went down to see how Hemenway was getting along they found him much better than they expected they expect him up here in a day or so. he was shot just below the shoulder blade in the back coming out in the front. Hary Sweet was shot near the top of the back part of the left shoulder and the ball came out in the side of his neck. they were both shot as the regt was retreating up a little hill the rebs were driving our forces toward Knoxville and our regt. was covering the retreat that day. they had been holding the rebs in check while the artillery was getting up the hill and when the artillery got up then the regt was ordered to to follow and when they turned around to go up the hill the rebs poured the balls into them pretty fast both our boys were wounded there after our troops fell back to Knoxville the rebs besieged them they were besieged here from the 14th of Nov. to the 4th of dec. when the rebs. skedaddled the boys said they got used to hearing [?] of the shells and the whistle of the musket balls as they would fly past. There was a great many houses burned here during the siege. I might write more but I believe I will close for the present. I wrote a letter to James at Cumberland Gap just before I left but forgot to mail it and lef it in our [?] perhaps the boys there will mail it.

Your Brother J. W. Cleland

Direct to Knoxville Tenn.

Co. F. 111th. O. V. F.