Camp Anderson, December 5, 1861

Yesterday I received your letter of the 18th of November, also the enclosed Norwegian letter which was very dear to me.

The weather is very cold, we have had snow for three days, but now the mud and slush is up to our knees.

We have been guarding the bridges here so the Southerners would not burn them. The bridge over Kolenpork river was burnt up and built up again before we got here, and now three days ago it was burned down to the water. Now we have built two ferrys alongside the old bridge so provisions can be sent to our men that are on the other side of the river.

Two days from now I think we will leave here to move closer to the enemy, how far is not yet certain. Minnesota 3rd regiment will then take our place here.

Helek Jernonson from Iowa was killed in the battle by Belmont near Columbia, Kentucky, a short time ago.

Torjor that was at Johannes Odegaard was in the same battle, is alive and is now in St. Louis. I believe John E. Johnson was in the same battle but have not heard anything about him.

Peder, Evend and myself are all well, and none of those you know are sick except Ole Hemsedal and Louis Swenson and Fredrick Olsen, they are at a hospital in Louisville.

We heard once that Fredrick Olson was dead, but later we heard that he wasn’t, so don’t know which way it is.

The news now is that we will move, but don’t know if this happy news is true. If we get orders to stay here over winter then we would start right away building houses, but nothing seems certain.