Murfreesboro, Tenn.
March 31, 1863

Dear Wife,

I now take my pen in hand to write to you in answer to yours of the 23rd which I rec'd. today and was very glad to hear from you but am sorry to think that you don't know whether I get your letters or not. I think I get nearly all of them and I answer all that I receive. You wanted to know whether I sent my last money home or not. I sent $40.00 by Capt. Colver and I kept about 12 dollars. The talk is that we are to have furlough this spring and if so I thought that I would need some money to come home with.

You say that you sent me stamps twice but I did not get but one of them and that one had eight stamps in it and in that one you said that you had sent me some before I wrote you about it.

I am very sorry to hear that your health is so poor but I hope that this letter may reach you well and in good spirits. You say that it is lonesome for you to stay there alone, but all that I can say is for you to keep up courage and do the best you can for a little while longer and I think we will see each other before long.

You say that you have Rebels there at home of which I am well aware but you must not fear them for the rebels will never get there to fight. I know they had not ought to let men run that say they would help the rebels if they would come to the north. You ask me whether I blame you for being afraid. No, I do not but I hope you will keep up good spirits and hope and trust nothing serious may befall you.

Now you ask me what you shall do for a garden. You say you are not able to work at it yourself. I wrote to you once before that I do not think it prudent for you to work and slave yourself to make a garden and make yourself sick and pay a doctor bill. It will be cheaper for you to buy your garden sauce of your neighbors.

You ask me whether we have had a battle here. We have not had any hard battle yet but we had a good many skirmishes but I have not been killed nor wounded. And I hope you will not worry yourself much about me till you hear that I am hurt, for I am as well and as hearty as I ever was.

I am glad that our little girls are well and full of fun. I just came back from Nashville today. We went up last Friday to guard a wagon train that went for hay and we had to come back afoot to Lavernge and there I stayed all night with Samuel. He has lost his speech from a Bronchial affection. He can not speak above a whisper and I read that letter that you wrote to him. I think it hit him pretty well for he seems to take it pretty cool.

I got a letter from Uncle Jonas Kryder and he has moved to Spencer, Medina County and he wrote that he heard that John was wounded on Stone River on the 31st Dec. and died on the 2nd Jan. by the name of Capt. Greenwood in a rebe1 hospital.

In Murfreesboro it is quite cold today. The air feels like snow. I believe I have given you nearly all the particulars so I must bring this letter to a close in hopes that it may reach you well and in good spirits and that I may hear from you soon. No more this time but I remain as ever your true and devoted

Husband, George Kryder

Now to Lillie, I hardly know what to write but hope you will be a good girl to Ma and little Mary and by and by Pa will come and see you and then we will have a nice time to play on the carpet. You must mind Ma and not be naughty and then everybody will like you, so Good-Bye this time.

How does it come that you did not put the directions on your last letter yourself? It was a business hand writing and perhaps someone opened your letter and tore the envelope and then put on another. It is not your writing. It has begun to rain and looks as if it was going to rain all night.

You are afraid I will be hard hearted when I get home, which I think will be the case but if I do not lose my reason yet I think I will know where to use sympathy. But it would not do for those rebels to talk to me as they would to you, for I would rather shoot one of them cowardly villains than one of these down here who are in ignorance.

I wrote a letter to Uncle Jonas the other day. He sold his farm in Huntington and bo't a small place in Spencer, Medina Co., Ohio. Calvin is working close to Huntington for $15. per month. I shall be glad if Anna is teaching school. She will be out of the hands of that old tyrant. You did not say where Met. was working. I should think it would not be pleasant to work out and be a slave for people then to keep house herself, would you? I hear you say NO.

This is all for this time
so Good Bye
To E. S. Kryder and L. G. K. and M. E. K.