J. [C. ] Gates is writing to his wife Hetty in care of a Mrs. E. W. Gates who may be his mother. Apparently, Hetty and mother had some disagreements and like a wise husband so far from home, he remains neutral concerning the incident. He wishes Hetty to continue to improve in health. Housing in Salem is hard to come by, but he reminds her that soldiers have learned to live without housing. His Battalion drill lasted two hours. He appreciates the newspapers that she sends. Bol. Brownlow arrived with the East Tennessee Calvary on April 11th 1864, the day of his writing this letter. Gates repeats from her previous letter to him about Will Carpenter is hunting. He then tells her about the fish supply in the Chickamauga, Hiawassa, or Tennessee Rivers. Unfortunately, he has no hook and line to allow him to fish.