Monday, December 21, 1863 - Stevenson, Alabama

#46

Head Quarters 20^th CV

Stevenson Ala Dec 21th 1863

Dear Wife & daughter

I received your letter of the 6 of Dec last night had been looking for it all the week before but there was no mail after monday last week untill Sunday of this week on acount of a smashup in the Rail Road betwene here and Nashville the rail road from here to Nashville is a misrable concern there is an everage of about three trains off the track every day some whare on the road last Tuesday morning a train run off the track about three miles from here killed three men on the spot and wounded six or eight more two have died since from the effects of their wounds, I went up to the place whare the accident hapened that forenoon saw three cars dumped off an embankment about a dozen feet high bottom side up into the water they ware loaded with corn those that ware killed was in one of these cars on top of the corn and when the car upset the corn came on top of them and smashed them down under the water and they ware drowned, I was glad to git your letter and to hear that you ware all well it found me well and in my shanty before a good hickery wood fire and am in the same place and in the same condition this forenoon and I hope when this reaches you it will find you all well and in good spirits, I suppose likely you are over the wash tub this morning scrubing and sweating although if the weather there is anything like what it is here now you will have to exercise pretty smart to swet much, we have had a pretty cold snap here for a few days now it froze in our house quite hard night before last It is pleasant this morning but rather cool however I am going into the woods this afternoon and exercise a little if nothing hapens one fellow in our tent went into the woods this morning and has just come in with a gash in his shin made by the corner of his ax, You wanted to know if it was,nt most time for me to be paied off what is the matter are you getting short of funds, I sent you twenty dollars in a letter Dated I think the 6^th of Dec which you must have received before now of it went through safe the same letter had a twenty five cent note in it with Ella,s name on it and the two before had one for Frank & Edgar you did not say anything about them but I presume you found them all right, Well my dearest little Georgia I received your pesent and will say that I was very well pleased with it although I should rather see the person then the picture but as that can not be I will try and content myself by looking at the picture., I think it looks first rate you have got to be a great girl; in appearance a lady and I hope you will behave as well as you look if you only do that . . . . . . I want you should always remember that it is behaveior as well as looks that makes a fine Lady and if you behave as well as you look you will do well anough Now Lucinda a few words to you, You must not worke round and get sick I am afraid you will over do yourself and get sick and then there will be no one to take care of the children you had better do your own worke take good care of our household afares and let the rest go untill you are obliged to go out to work then it will be time anough I guess I have wrote anough for this time so I will clos by sending you all my love and well wishes From Your Husband and Father

A.C. Smith

PS I sent you a paper last Monday night the Nashville Union

Tuesday night all well I send you a check of ten dollars in this letter