Jackson Tennessee
                                                                   July 31^st 1862
 

Friend Jones.

                     Yours of the 21^st. was

received last evening and was

a most welcome visator.  It found

me enjoying good health and I

believe my full share of the enjoyment

usually extended to Soldiers.  You

may get this letter and you may

not.   the rebels are all around us

here and have burned our rail

road bridges once and came near

capturing our train  mail and

all .  They are fighting at Bolivar

25 miles south of here and have

been for the last 2 or 3 days.

Bolivar is garrisoned with about 8000

troops and fortified with cotton

bales.  The forces have near all been

withdrawn from here and there is

but a small force left thoug two

regiments and a Squadron of Cavalry

came in last night and more are

expected.

We have a great deal of guard duty

to perform and are on picket almost

constantly.  3 men out of company F

of our regiment wer taken prisoners

night before last while guarding

a rail road bridge.  Stewarts

Cavalry had an engagement

with the rebels yesterday And came

near geting all taken in.  the

rebels retreated into a Swamp

a large cane[?] break[?]  And our men

followed them and wer flanked

on both sides  and those who

wer  successful in cuting their way

through the lines alone escaped.

I do not know how  many wer 

killed from the fact we dont know

how many were captured  Any how

we sustained  loss.  We are expecting

an attack here all the time and

have every thing in readiness for

an engagement.  our Commissaries have

all been sent to Columbus lest we

might be unsuccessful in holding

the place and our trains and wagons

have been sent to the river  And

it is our intention to burn the

[The words "Sergt. B. F.  Boring" was written vertically
on the right hand margin of page 2]