File:Letter signed Joseph A. Fardell, Memphis, Tennessee, to Father and Mother, December 11, 1862.jpg

Describes his trip down to Memphis.

Transcription: Memphis Tenn Dec the 11th 1862

Dear Father and Mother

it is With plesher that I take my pen in hand to Write to you to let you know that I am Well at presant and Well satisfide I injoy as good helth at this time as I have for the last five years and hope those few lines Will find you all Well I Will try to give you a faint idear of my trip down to Memphis We left Metropolis on Wednsday a bout 2 ococ and landed at Cairo a bout sun down that night Whare We layed untell Thursday morning from thare We Went to Island No 10 and layed that night from Island No 10 We Went to Fort Pillow Whare We layed until Friday saterday morning We landed at Memphis a bout the saim time in the day on saterday that We left Metropolis We had a fine time Coming down to this place but it Was sum sum What Cold the sand bares Was all White With snow I thought that Was a Way down North in dixey in sted of a Way down South in dixey We did not get in to Camp untell sunday evening and I have been very bisey every cence or I Would have rote Sooner and am very bisy yet I espect to eather go on a scout or on picket to morrow from Which I Will return day after to morrow provided I Ceep Well it is reported here that the rebels is Evanateing[Invading?] vicksburgh[Vicksburg] I doant know how true it is it may be all faulc tho it is thought tha Will try to take Memphis if tha Come here tha Will find the 131st Chicken thiefs here and all right if We doant run if tha run I think that I Can run as fast and as fur as any Man in the Reg I have nothing that is important to Write to you at presant We have a larg army at this place Which Would be hard to Whip from all accounts thare is a bout 80 thousand fighting men at this place We drawed our arms and Equipage on monday last the boys looks more like soulders than tha do like formers We are encamped a bout too miles end a half or three miles south east of Memphis on a very pretty place the that srounds us looks most butiful every thing looks romantic and butiful for superior to the old hills of Massac or Pope I think that I Will Mary sum of those rich cecech Girls after War is over and reside sumwhare a bout the surburbs of Memphis for this Country is far better than that to live in it is a pitty that Men in as good surcumstances as the most of Men is here Will be an enemy to ther Country as the night is for advanced and my paper is a bout out I Will bring my letter to a Close so no more at presant but I still remain your affection Sson untell deth

Joseph A Fardell

to his Father and Mother

F.s. shanks

to Mr. Adsit

my Dear old friend it is With plesher that I take my pen in hand to address you a few lines to let you know that I am Well and hope those few lines Will find you Well and you famley I have nothing to Write that is new the a bove news is a bout all that I have and I doant know Wether it is new to you or not I have a bin [word unclear] down in dixey plenty as the best looking girls you ever saw to spark if you [word unclear] big rusty niggar good looking thare is plenty of them I Will soon have to close for the want of roon to Write more tell lora that I had plenty Milk and butter to last me down Memphis Tenn 131st Reg Ills vol Co C I remain yours truly With respect

Joseph A Fardell