I received a letter from you this morning of Oct 16th saying that all are well I am well Every thing is all quiet so far Two brigades of our Div went out on a scout day before yesterday We got plenty of forage and 6 barrels of salt which was very scarce but now we have a plenty We have got to prepair for a long march We are to have an extra pair of shoes and 2 months clothing enough to last that length of time

Where we are bound for I do not know but south I guess some where You wanted to know what I thought of HJB I will tell you he gets along the best of any man that inlisted in co H I am certain And as for health there is plenty of men that ought to be at home in his place And if they only had the strap on their shoulders would have been there long ago but the straps are not there I do not blame any man for getting to the rear when they can But it is the difference between the private and the officer that I look at and so will every man that has any sence about him There are just 2 things that I

would be an officer for now and that is pay and easy times I would not except a commission now if they would offer me one for this reason you have to stay 3 years from the date of your commission and my time is too near out to be bound down for another 3 years I have a strong notion to reduce myself some times now for the sake of getting on detail somewhere so that I would not have to be in the front all of the time but I do not know as it would do any good I guess that Ashly [i.e., U. S. Representative James Ashley] is all sound on the soldiers And old Abe [i.e., President Abraham Lincoln] is sound yet There are some Regts in our brigade that are for Mac [i.e., Presidential candidate George B. McClellan]

but they are Kentucky The 11th Ky is strong for him but there is enough to counter balance them I think Well I must close good by Write soon

H E Randall