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[Letterhead] Chicago Board of Trade Battery 1863] Murfreesboro May 4th Dear Father,

   Yours of the 27th last was received a day or two ago. Since writing home last, we have been busily employed.  The guns, carriages, caissons are all being thoroughly painted thereby improving their appearance very materially.   Our Sibly tents have been taken from us, and the dog or (more [prosserly]) Shelter tents substituted for them.   These are the tents described to vividly by Mr. Pattersen after his return from the army of the Potomac.  During dry weather I prefer them, and we will likely draw new tents for next winter The object in changing them is to [relieve/reduce?] the baggage, these being