Feby 17^th 1863
Lagrange Tennessee
           Dear Wife I Set down
to inform you how I got along
& how I found Ben and so –
I got to lagrange on Saturday
night about 7 oclock & found
Ben on Sundy morning in the
hospital at Lagrange I found
him in Rather worse health
than I Suposed, he is verry poor
has the diare tollerable bad  & has
a bad coff  he can walk about
& if I can get him home Soon
I think his health can be Restored
again   they are going to have a
general examination hear perhapse
to day or soon at lest  I think
there is no mistake but he will get
a discharge but it is the Slowest
thing on earth to get any gover
-ment work done   I am not
going home till I get him                    

my trip cost me twenty four
dollars & I paid for the first 2
days bord $150 ^cts per day   I have been
eating in the hospital good bord for
nothing   Ben has good bed good
care & good vituals & in a good
house a female college well
attended with Sothereign girls
& now as well attended with
northern soldiers about 300 in
this house & I believe 5 hospittals
in this one place   my god
to see the horrows of war any one
to see the distruction of men
& property hear shurly would be
thankfull to see the day come
when this thing is brought to
a close   make your selves as easy
as possible & you need not be
suprised to see us any day  perhapse
we will not get off for a month  
you may rest assured I will not
come untill I bring him.

you will have to manage things for
a while to the best advantage
if I do not have the luck to get
home soon--   the wether is tollerable
warm & rainy – I have no
trouble getting through=
            I will close by saying that
    Ben is still Looking for a good
    dinner on his arrival
    home   he is to gready to eat
    & hard to manage he has
    greatly revived since I came.
              Yours respectfaly
              J. W. Smith to margaret
                                    Smith