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friends will write aften even though I may not answer all of them, but shall try. You have not better send papers as they do not come through regular, but if they is (the word "interesting" inserted above) correspondence from the [illegible] or others or interesting 'locals', stick them in a letter but [perhaps?] papers would come now, or the cars have just comes in (4 1/2 [illegible]) [avoid?] the beating of [drummers?] [cheering?], etc. We have not had a drop of rain now for five days, the atmosphere is smoky and hazy but the sun us warm. The Cumberland Mts. circle around us the same as yours do about you, only they do not extend on the west. They are full as high as Mt. [Tom?]; we are within a mile or two of them on the east, the way the R.R. goes. Our regiment went out 15 miles east, this morn to do picket on the R.R. while it is being repaired; they expect to be gone three days. Four in our Co. were left here. Port Hudson has fallen, and I sup-