December    ^THE 14   l[8]64
        Camp    Near Nashville  
Dear friends           }ten
I      take my pen in
 hand hand to let you
 know that we are Both
well at the present time
and I hope when these
few lines may find you
all well and enjoying
the Same great Blessing
We are Just at the front
we Can hear the old
Cannon roar at all times
Wiley  has been in a
fight  he seen uncle Wiley
and david arthur running
from the rebles the 11^th Cav
 Charged on the rebs to
  keep them from Catching
  the infantry at Spring
   hills ten….one of our Co
was taken a prisner and
 paroled  We are loking to
Bee after them every minit

they faught all
last night the
pickets are 900 hun
dred yards a part
We are having hard
times only half
rations to eat mud
half knee deep and
very foggy  We are
a bout one hundred
and Sixty thousand
Strong at this time
We have Sixty thousand
Cavalry th[e] rebles
is a bout 80 thou
Sand Strong  5 miles
from Nashville ten
  So good by
   Wm A Black
    To Josiah Black 

       receipt for money 50
      dollars take Care
                 of it   for us