Camp Stanley near Murfreesboro, Tenn.
May 5th, 1863

Dear and beloved wife:

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well and hearty again and I hope these few lines may reach you all in good health as it leaves me. I received your letter of the 28 April yesterday and it pave me much pleasure to hear that you were all well. I wrote you two letters a short time ago which I think you had not got. We were paid about two or three weeks ago and I sent you $30 which I sent with Charles Benham to Mrs. Benham as it would not cost more to send it all in one than it would to express the $30 alone.

I wrote to you that Capt. Gaylord was going to Nashville and send it from there, but Lieutenant Livermore went hone on a sick furlough and the Capt. gave it to him to take it all the way so there will be no express to pay on it. And I had my picture taken on the 24th and I sent that to you. They would not let me have it unless I would take a case and it cost me two dollars, but I wish I would have waited till now for I am healthier now than I was then but I have not done much duty lately for when I was unable to go on a scout one of our boys rode my horse and got his back sore with the saddle so that he was not fit to ride. So I turned him over and now I have no horse and have nothing to do but Camp duty which is not very hard to do.

Yesterday I was detailed to go to town and all I had to do was to lead three wagons with corn (25 sacks in each). I sent you three newspapers a few days ago which I thought would be interesting to you. We have to pay ten cts apiece for them but for all that we are bound to have the news and so I thought it would only cost me one cent apiece to send them to you and if you think they are worth that I will send for some more. And I would write a few lines and send them in the paper but it is contrary to law.

You say they are going to draft again of which I am glad. Then some of them will have to come that hung back when the volunteers came out.

I wish I was at home to get some of Old fats milk to drink.

You say that you have got new neighbors all around and my hope is that they are good neighbors. You think that I will not come hone very soon and want to know what I think about it. I still am in hopes of getting a furlough this summer, for I spoke to Col. Murray about it and he said that he thought we would get a chance to go home. He said there was an order given to give furloughs but he had not got them yet.

You say that you ought to get a letter as often as one a week. I think so, too, for I write every time I get one. You wanted to know what I done with my saddle. I turned it over with my clothes last summer at Tuscumbia and it was lost.

Our Co. is out on picket today and the Regiment is to go out on review this afternoon at 3 o'clock and they are all to have blouses on, but I have none and I will not draw one to turn over, for I have more clothes now than I can take care of this summer but I think Henry and I will box up some of our clothes and send them home. I would have sent them before this but I thought I would wait and take then if I could come myself.

I would like to have been to dinner with you to get some of your nice greens, but if I wanted some very bad I could gather them here. There is lock and some dandelion here.

It must be pretty hard for you to chop your own wood. You think this of yours a pretty dry letter, but dry or not it is always welcome, for I want to hear from you whether you have much to write or not.

Henry is well at present. I hope we will have plenty of fruit this season. It appears as if there will be a quantity of apples and peaches here this season but I hope we will not be here to eat them for I would rather come home and do without than be here and have plenty. But if we should have to stay the apples and blackberries will be nice. Last year we grew fat on fruit. Peaches are as large as hickory nuts. When we go out on picket we can have all the walnuts we want. They keep good all winter in the woods, but I won't eat mine because they physick me. I must stop and eat dinner.

Dinner is over and I ate hearty of Pork Beans and ham crackers and Henry has got a paper the Nashville Union, and the war news are favorable on our side. Yesterday eve and last night it rained a little and now the wind blows as if to blow up rain. We have the nicest weather here this spring that I have ever seen, but it is getting pretty hot here some days.

I have not much to write anymore. When you write let me know whether you got that money and likeness and them newspapers that I sent you and the news generally. I must stop for the want of anything more to write so no more at present but remain as ever your true and loving Husband

George Kryder
to Elisabeth S. Kryder

I have not anything to say to the children this time and I do not Know what to write that could be interesting but if I was at home I could help them gather flowers in the woods. No more this time. Good bye. Write soon as you get this and direct as before. Oh, I almost forgot I wrote to you in my last letter to send me some stamps. If you have not got my letter but I suppose you have sent them before this but they have not come yet.