Jones, Joseph (fl. 1862-1865) to Nancy E. Jones

This morning looks rainy. It has not rained on us since we have bin gone. It is terrible dry and dusty here but we are campt in the woods. We have not seen any hard times yet we might say I have never bin hungry but one day and night yet I have not suffered much for water. I do generly sleep good of nights but the worst of all is that we are here in a rebel country without arms. I don't know hose fault it is. Our officers told us that we would get our arms as soon as we got to luisville but we have got nothing yet but our fist. They say that we wil get our guns today. We have not got any more mony yet nor I don't count on it soon our regiment is the largest men I wer seen and the bravest. But very wicked generly there is about fifty thousand troops here and most of them has bin in the servis one year. The rebels is not very close except some guerillias [sic] which burnt the railroad bridge about fifteen miles from here south the sixteenth Kentucky volunteers was sent out from here yesterday to fight them but the rebels was gone. They cannot take luisville now nor they won't try. I don't expect to stay here long. There is not mutch sickness in camp this is a healthy place. That man that got nocked of the cares died the enxt morning. He lived on Ridge farm north of paris. There is a good many Negroes in camp. It is very wicked the way that the soldiers do abuse them. They do laf at them and made fun of them and pick at them and abuse them and hate them. You have no idey. They do curse and dam them and wat to kill them ever professers of religon [illegible] ? wants to kill them so that is enough of that. The end of this sheet. I want to say a little about the Negroes. There has been so much said about them [torn] smell [torn] I wil just say that I have bin with them a good dele and I never have smelled them yet. I thought where I first went in to camp [torn] everybody was Christians that perfessed to be but it is not the case. Perfessors are as bad in some things as the worst of men with a few exceptions and here is the place to tel a man to find out what he is when I am a writing [torn] times men do come and sit down by my side and play cards and gambol and cut up very bad. You don't have any kind of ida how wicked men is. It is no wonder if they do al get killed or have hard times. Things don't look so strange to me as they did. This was wil be a grate lesson to me. I am glad that I did go in to it. You may depend that I wil live up to my post and keep clear of all evels and [torn] I seen men leave their wives weping and mourning after with a broken hart and after they come in to camp they don't think any more of their wife and children. They think about other women and evry thing else that [torn]
--------------------------------
Direct you letters to Joseph Jones luisville Kentucky 79th regiment ill Vol. Company J in care of capt. Handy.
My paper is so pore that I cannot write on but one side. There is five thousand Indiana troops crossing over in to luisville just now will be here today. We are the only troops that has no guns but I reckon if they don't arm us we can fight with our fist and clubs. We are not afraid of anything. You need not be afraid to send your likeness in a letter if you direct it right. I do want them very bad. I wil not get mine taken until I make another draw of money and it wil suit you beter also from the fact that I wil have my ung and war hat and that I wil then look like a soldier and you would rather see how I look in one month from now than to see me now for I expect to be fat in a month or two. A soldier's life is unexpressably hard but it dos afree with me and I believe I can stand the hole rout be being very careful. I still live in hopes of getting word from you. I am disappointed evry day in getting a letter if you lack of paper buy it if you lack of time to write take time if you lack of envelops and cannot get them send your letter without any. If you can't get stamps send it any how. If you wil write often I wil be glad. I don't want you to work more than you can stand. Don't do anything that you are not able to do for I would rather be as poore as lazerus these times and live to see the children raised right. The reson I say these words is because I am acquainted with your poor health. I would rather be poore and righteous than to be worth millions and have no hope. It is our duty to save our lives these times and to preserve our health. I don't know that Elizabeth is alive yet for she did look so bad when I left but let it be as it may. God's will must be done. The make has just come. I wil go and see and then I wil close. I wil now close. No letter for me. John miller has got two letters from hom. I rote the first page with a pencil because the ink showed through this paper. I found it would not do.
To Nancy E. Jones
Read the page that is rote with the pencil first.