1862 May 25 Camp on Flat Top Mountain, Va.

May 25th/62
Camp Flat Top Mountain

Dear Father
I wrote you a
few days ago but as
I have an oppertunity to
send a letter with
Wm West of Co C 23 Regt
who starts home tomorrow
morning, he takes a prisoner
to Columbus The prisoner
Regiment he has been
sentence to 6 months
hard labor with a Ball
& Chain attached to his
ancle his crime was
striking his Sargeant
West goes to West London
where he lives.  I am sending
a package of letters that
have accumulated I cant take

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care of them here I
would like them preserved
however.  West will leave
them at Kilburns and he
will send them with
the Hack to you
Herb Kilburn is my chum
and bedfellow--he is a
good fellow kind and
liberal I consider him
one of the best fellows
in the band
he and I have a little bark
hut done[?] much after the
styl of Indians
I guess we are destined
to live in this way
alll Summer as I understand
that we are to have no
tents  We will receive
rubber cloths instead
The men are much dissatisfied
about it as it seems they do

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like to transport
them
It is Sabbath evening
we have just been
out playing. among other
pieces we played
Old Hundred the
harmony is very fine
it is indeed a grand old
air and when we ply it
as we frequently do on
Sabbath evenings it
reminds us of the quiet
Sabbaths of Home
We will probably
leave hear within a few
days and instead of crossing
the River below this place
as was anticipated it now
seems probable that we
will go back to Princeton
it is uncertain however
what do you think about the

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war by this time
Should the Enemy be
beaten at Corinth
and driven from
Richmond is it not
probable that they will
then take to the interior
and as far as they can
be forced fight with
the energy of despar
until every resource
fails them
Tell MaryAnn that Wm
Campbell received a letter
from John Boultz[?] John's
brother James is the orderly
sargeant of Bushnell's Company
42 Regt he says that John fisher
(Mary's Brother) is his Chum
and is one of the best fellows
of the Company all like him
It grows dark no more
write very soon Yours Truly
J.D. Templeton

James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio

MSS 10317