Camp near Louisvills Ky in the mud
Dec 17th, 1864
Dear beloved wife,
I again take my pan in hand to let you know that I an still well and hearty and hope these few lines may reach you all in good health. I just now recd your kind note of the 12th and was happy to learn that you were all well. I will send you a Louisville Journal and if you read the Telegraphic Dispatches you will see that the rebels did not take the city of Nashville but General Thomas attacked and whipped the rebels and the last account was still driving them and the news from Gen. Sherman is good. I am on camp guard today and will have to go on post in a few minutes.
7 o'clock P.M. I have just come off guard and this is a very dark evening and I will try to write a little but if I was with you I could talk to you with more satisfaction. I think if I was with you I could keep some of your chicken pie from spoiling but I will wait with patience till the happy day may arrive.
You speak of having cold weather there. It has been very cold here but now for three days the weather has been rainy and the mud has been that we could hardly get about, but the frost is now out of the ground and the mud is drying up.
I would very much like to be at home on Christmas and New Years but do not expect me. I have sent you a memorial of my Company. The Captain got a lot of them (75) and nearly every man in the Co. has got one. It shows every man that ever belonged to the Company. It cost $1.00 and if I ever should get home, I would not take any money for it. It will be a nice ornament to look at when we get old.
I will now tell you that Henry has been promoted to Corporal. I have not much news to tell you but you should see the huckster woman here in camp peddling pies, apples, sausage etc. They are mostly poor German and Irish women and girls. With their basket they come trudging through the mud till their dresses are mud up to their knees and their shoes full of mud. This evening when we went to water our horses I saw four or five of these in a brook up to their knees washing their shoes and dresses and I just thought if you had to make a living in that way, I should want you to die. But thank fortune we have not come to that yet and hope we won't.
In Henry's letter you said you would look for our likeness which we have sent but it was a dark day and it (mine) does not look well. I was to the city yesterday and bought me two pr of knit socks. They cost 75 cents a pr. and I am running the toes and heels. I cannot do it as well as you but think it will be an improvement to them. Our Govt. socks are not worth anything. I can wear a pr out in two weeks. They charge us 32 cts for them. All other clothes are good for the price.
With this I will come to a close in hopes of hearing from you soon again. No more but am as ever your true and ever loving husband
George Kryder
To Elisabeth, Lillie and Mary
My love to all So good bye
The bugle is sounding Tattoo end I must go to bed for I must go on guard again at 11 o'clock and then again at 5 in the morning.
