The text in the first paragraph is from Thomas J. Avera, who wrote a few words to his own wife in the letter that Mr. Brooks was writing to his.
Mrs. Brooks I put a few lines in your letter wich [sic] I want you to give my wife. I have not [sic] time to give her a full statement of our sort since I wrote her but dear wife you must read the letter - Mrs. Brooks - letter this time and make out a while until I can do better. He has give you all the news [sic]. Perhaps you will see a statement of the fight in the papers if you do can believe it for they can’t make it a greater victory than it was. These lines leave me well at pres. I wish I had time to write you. I could write a letter a yard long. We have suffered a great deal for something to eat. Your ever loving husband Thomas J. Avera
Write perhaps I will yust ??? it.
The text that follows is from Thomas Brooks to his wife, Eliza:
I understand a man is going to Chattanooga tomorrow and if he goes I will send this letter. If not I will have to wait for a chance. Jeff Avera sais [sic] let his wife read this. He has no chance to write. He lost all his paper in the fight. He sais [sic] tell Mobly [Molly, Mother] ??? he is well. ¶ [The paragraph symbol was inserted in this place by the writer, Mr. Brooks.]
He received her letter of 9th by a man that was absent on a furlow.
We were called in line of battle this morning and have been there till about 12 o’clock thinking the yankees were on pursuit of us, but they have not come and I think it very probable we will follow him up to night and give them fight. Our horses are in bad condition for force [sic] marches but we will have it to do. Our brigade is composed of about the first and second ga [Georgia] and two company [sic] of the first ky [Kentucky] and Texas rangers. We had about 1800 available men. The yankees no [sic] about the same.
The yankees ran off in their drawers, and shirttail [sic] a great many of them when they were attacked not having time to put them on, and were taken so.
p. 2
We left the dead on the field. 8 negroes were killed yankees had stolen in Tenn. We relesed [sic] 50 sitizens [sic] the yankees had taken for being for the South. They had two of them condemed [sic] to hang. About 30 of the prisoners were taken from woodbery [Tennessee]. When we passed through woodbery on our way there way [sic] in the night the ladies were all up and holowed [sic] hurah for the Southern Soldiers. One lady told us she wanted us to open the prison doors and let her son out of jail. We told her we would do it and we did.
This is yankee paper and yankee invelope [sic] that I got from the yankees. I also got some letters from the yankees. I will send you one or two of them. I got 50 or more.
You may direct your letters to Chattangooga. I may git [sic] them. It is uncertain. I will write when I have a chance too [sic]. Keep in good heart if you can. If I die I have a hope of getting to a better world. I churish [sic] a hope of gitting [sic] home one day, but if I do I shall think it is through kind providence. I thought Sunday when the cannon balls were falling thick if I got out safe I should be thankful to God, and I am. I promised I would be a better man and I yet think I will keep my promise if I am permmitted [sic] to git [sic] home I think I shall lead a different life. I shal [sic] git [sic] your letters if that man goes to Chattanooga he will bring back the mail. I shal [sic] look for several letters. This is the second letter I have writen [sic] since we lef [sic] Chattanooga. I don’t know whether you have got the other or not.
Forest is our general. I think he is a great man and a prudent, but push a head one. I will let Jeff write some. Yours affectionatly [sic]. T. H. Brooks
The writer of this letter was Thomas Hampton Brooks of Mississippi. He refers in this letter to the First Battle of Murfreesboro, very near Woodbury, Tennessee. It took place on July 13, 1862.
