Sunday, the 8th of November, 1863

The army is in about the same position as before. We have a beautiful camping place here. We all have fireplaces built of bricks in our tents.

From our tent we can see the Rebel camp and their tents in a several mile long line.

They still have their large cannons on Lookout Mountain. The bombs go over our camp daily, but our troops are getting closer to the enemy’s east and north side and are now so close under the mountain that their cannons from above cannot harm us.

We are longing to see Lookout Mountain in our hands, then we can get the railroad free, but it is a hard position to take.

If we get that position, and large cannons planted, then the Rebels will have to leave their position along the whole line.

It was poor judgment of the generals that we did not take that position the first day we came here.

[Seven states can be seen from the top of Lookout Mountain.—Albert O.]

It is my wish that if I live to the day I come home, to buy a span of mules, a few sheep and cattle and seed a large part of the land to timothy grass.

I think cattle-raising, especially sheep, is more profitable than grain in Minnesota until the railroad comes.

Stone in St. Peter bought fifty sheep from Braun for only three dollars and twenty cents each.

The money that belonged to Peder belongs now to your mother and can use it for whatever she wishes as long as she lives.