Letter from Linus Patrick to John B. Patrick

Franklin Tennessee
March 4 1863

Dear Father

I received a letter from Lucy yesterday which said you had not heard from me since I sent the money home I wrote to you since we came here but I suppose had not recieved it when you wrote last, you need not think I have forgotten you yet - Six Companies of our Regt are quartered in town & the other four are across the River- Our pickets have had a little brush with the Enemy almost every day & night since we have been here A force consisting of five Regiments of Infantry, three Regimants of Cavalry, & one Battery started toward Columbia this morning - Columbia is twenty four miles from here & they say the Rebels are in force there - there was quite a fire here day before yesterday & if the soldiers had not taken hold of the Engine & pitched in generally, one whole block would have been burnt down & it might have burnt before I would have lent a helping hand to put it out - This was a delightful town once, but it has played out all the young men are in the Rebel Army - the Rebels feel the war in this town,they being Rebels can not get passes outside our lines to get wood & they have to cut down the shade trees on the side walks & in their yards for wood & as we destroyed a flouring mill they are hard up for something to eat - John Douglas of our company died Sunday morning She (?) is not well yet he is over the River do not fail to go to Bellefontaine & get those photographs taken from the picture I sent home from Cincinnati - we rec'd letters from Indianapolis which stated that three of the Mt. Victory Boys who deserted have been arrested

I got the postage stamps - I got a letter from home yesterday - Don't fail to get the photographs - no more this time write soon and send your letter same as before

Your affectionate Son
Linus