Respected Father and Mother and little sister:

Again I take up my pen for the first time in a long time on account of the ole Mr. Hood.  (Confederate General John B. Hood) He has cut the railroad and more then that showed fight but he got enough of that.  He cut off our supplies so we have lived on five pieces of bread and a half pound of beef per day, so you see we live slim at present, but the boys feel good.  After all, I never was healthier in my life.

I am tuff and harty and I hope this may find you the same.  I got 2 letters from you today.  I was glad to hear from you. The letters was old. Boathe was mailed the 29th of last month.  The mail was fetched on wagons from Nashville to Murfreesboro and there it came on the ---.  Well, folks, we are guarding the prison in town.  Once we expected old Hood would attack this place, but he did not.  I shall not tell you all for you will get it in the papers before this gets to you.

I am sorry the boys will not help you, but you can get along I guess until I come home and then we will not ask nothing of them.  I should like to be there to help you, but if you knows how it is as well as I do it will not be long and then I can come home again, but I am not sick of it at all but I would like to be there to help you.

Today is Christmas and I expect you had a good time. Well, our Captain got a pail full of whiskey and treated the boys and some got pretty blew.

Well, Father, I want you to give me the directions to Uncle Jacob Hoose.  I want to give him some and little mark and give me the directions to Uncle Aggy Larue and to Luther's folks. (Luther Hill was his brother-in-law)

So I shall have to close for this time and give my respects to Joe and tell her to write to me again and write soon and ofter some more.

This from your son,

T. L. Larue

Good day, write soon.  This to Joe: Tell her I will send her something when I can.  Tell her to be a good girl and go to school and learn.