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our horses over and carry our equipage over on a log. Colonel Murphy of the 8th Wisconsin infantry was in command at Holly Springs when the rebels attacted that place and he surrendered his reg. without fireing a shot the 2nd Ill. Cav. doing all the fighting that was done. Murphy was sent to Memphis in irons. He is the same man that caused such a bother and so much hardship for our reg. and his own at Iuca. I hope he will be shot. Our reg. arived here on the 12th inst. The weather has been very cold her for a few days. The snow lays four inches deep. There is a vast amount of sickness in our army brought exposier and bad weather. The winters is a great deal more disagreeable here than up there though it is not so cold. Holly Springs, Oxford, Coffeeville and Pontotock are county seats so you can find them on the map. A large part of Gen. Grants army is gone somewhere the report is that some have gone to reinforce Rosencran and part to Vixburge. This Company is under the command of Lieut. D. W. Bradshaw. We have not had any pay yet but it is rumored that the paymaster is paying off the troops at Memphis. The last letter I had from home was writen by HCL. Who is he? Is he married? how old is he? What made him sign Mothers name Mary Jones? Did he catch any fish? Is he not trying to catch a shad? I understand that there is censiderable among the people of Ills. about the emansipation of slaves. I believe it would be a good thing if the rebel cav. would make a raid into Ill. then the people would realize that there is war they would not be so fastidious. I hope to hear from you speedily. Your affectionate brother, Charles W. Gallentine