Letter from Oscar Allen to his cousin Hetty Brackney

Knoxville, Tenn, Dec. 22, 1863

Dear Cousin
it is with grate pelasure that I seat myself to try ao write you a few lines I recived your letter Sum time ago and was glad to hear from you I will tell you the reason I did not write sooner We was cut off from Communication 20 days and it was no use to writeWe have had a heavy old time with the rebs but we Cleand them out and left a good many of them in the ground at the Battle of Knoxville the rebs made a Charge on Burnside and our men throed Shels on them with there hands and kild about 200 rebs or more in 15 minits and we only lost one or two the blood stood in great pudels on the groundWell Hetty East Tenn is just blue with yankes We are living Sum better now but I did see the time when brand bread went buly The rail road is open now and we can git pelnty of evey thing that we want Well Hetty I have a notion to join the reglars for three years longer they git $400.00 but I belive I wonte for this is reglar anuf for me and to mutch so O I all most forgot to tell you that I am well except for a bad Cold We was payed the other day and I sent Sixty dollars home by the state agent Well I must close and go and git my grub yours with respect

Direct to Knoxville, Tenn. Oscar D. Allen
Co. I 118th Regt. OVI
1 Brig 2 Division 23st A.C.
Write Soon Good By for this time