In Camp Aug 20th 1898th

Dear Mother and Hannah

Your last came a few days ago but I have been waiting thinking I might answer in person but by the looks of it it will be a while yet. our Regiment got orders Tuesday to be ready to move to Knoxville Tenn a new camp site and each Co had 1 Corporal and 7 privates detailed to go ahead and fix up for to receive the rest when they came I was selected to go on that detail Sunday night but a message at the last moment not to go I suppose you saw that petition in the paper about the boys not wanting to do garrison duty Well I think that had something to do with it. If they do not get us out of here verry soon they will have to plant a goodly number of them here as the grounds are in a poor sanitary condition Malaria is verry prevelent here now there is over 5000 case of it here now I have had a touch of it for the last three nights it is like the ague comes on with a chill and a burning fever at the same time the Dr gave me some "pills" and said to stay in my quarters which was something impossible with the heat and flies. So I am trying the faith cure believing that I am not sick which I think will effect a cure before the "pills" will from what they tell me I look sicker than I really am but I am dreading the coming of night. I think that you will see the Corporal go back a private yet I suppose you saw my name on the petition. Well when the want to go home part of our Co heard about the message our officers sent to washington wanting to do garrison duty they at once set to work toget up this petition I had not paid any attention to them at all. But Cap Sean got wind of it someway and called some of them over and forbid them having anything to do with it which I knew nothing about as I was laying in my tent one of the boys came in and asked me to sign it which I refused to do saying saying that if Uncle Sam did not kneed us he would send us home just as soon so he went away and about an hour after that Scott Cash came to me while I was busy writing saying that the whole Co had signed it and wanted to know if I was afraid. Well to get rid of him I signed it. and than after I heard them talking about what the Cap said to them forbidding them signing it I went to Cash to have my name taken off but he said it was gone so I said no more about it and do not intend to the Cap said next day that those who signed it would be Court Martiled. So I do not know how it is going to come out. The Cololel called the whole regt up this am and made a little speel to us saying that it was a verry cowardly action on our parts wanting to get back that he would rather be laid under the sod than go back a coward mind you he called us gentlemen. Well I am glad you got the photos all right and if the people like them it is more than I do I had to cut that elaborate mustatch off on act of it getting mixed up with my vitules but I shall start in and grow another to show you what I can do in that line hoping this will find you all well with love to all

Will

PS Did you hear about the terrible accident we had down here there was a pea nut on the road and one of the army teams ran over it bursting the shell and crushing two Colonels
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