Chattanooga, Tennessee, October 3, 1863

The Rebels’ army is lying close to us. We can distinctly see their camp and tents, and their cannons are pointing straight at us. We can see all that from our camp with our own eyes without the aid of a telescope. We expect any time now that they will open up fire.

We have enough to eat but very little clothing. The nights are cold without a blanket, I have a cold and so do most of the other soldiers too.

Peder is sorry about his bad luck. His wounds are not deadly, but with carelessness and poor doctors for a long time, then it might prove fatal. To date the doctor has not used anything else than water on the sore.

We have over two hundred ambulance wagons. Each one is pulled by a team of horses. They have now made two trips to the Rebel army to bring in our wounded. I think the last ones came in yesterday. Here are awful sights to see.

It is almost a week since we sent away for clothes but have not gotten any yet.

It is said today that the enemy has taken the teams and wagons, more than two hundred wagons. I am not sure if it is true, but if I had a blanket I would be satisfied.

The same day that we lost our knapsacks I put my best trouser and two shirts on, but I had many things in my knapsack that I was not willing to be without, but we had orders to put them down, and we did so.