Dear Minerva

     It has been some days since I have Either writen home or received a letter from home The cause of my not getting letters I take to be the uncertainty of the mails The cause of my not writing home has been simply for want of time This may seem strange to you but it is Even so We are now about 16 miles out from Pitsburgh landing and from the great no of teams that go there to draw their supplies such as provisions and forage where we also get our there has been an order that Quartermasters shall accompany their teams so as to Expedite business and prevent confusion This causes me a trip to the Landing about three times a week and it takes 2 days to make it with a goodeal of the night Then we move quite often At times we have to move camp a mile or two and then go to the Landing that night But for me the lucky feature about it is the my health is such that I am able to stand it for it is now firstrate and my apetite also I start my teams on one of those trips then get my business aranged about

camp such as getting requisitions orders &c and then with Haversack & Canteen I start arive at the Landing if before night press my trains through and get loaded But if after dark I ty up and feed my horse and get myself into a wagon place my saddle under my head a Blanket under me and on over and sleepe as soundly and comfortably as I use to at home in our good house & bead. Such is habit. I have got to believe that what I should have thought a year ago a hard life and rough fare will be as physical benefit to me
      I have been waiting for time to write more lengthyly than I will be able to today Joseph Richardson will carry this he goes home on the account of sickness
     You will be anxious to know what the prospect for an Engagement is. I think it Eminent We are now in about 4 miles of Corinth and in about one mile of the picket lines of the enemy Skirmishing is constantly going on between their Pickets and ours There were two soldiers out of the 25th Reg wounded this morning Ours have Escaped up to this time But Capt Langford [i.e., Capt. William S. Langford, Co. I, 53rd Indiana Infantry] who came in off of Picket duty this morning says he had repeated shots fired at him This skirmishing is going on costantly While I write there is not an interval of five minutes but I hear the report of a gun This is a privalege I doant often have

My business keep me in the rear But today I am in Camp and can hear all that is going on but tomorrow I will have to start for the Landing again
     I think that a great Battle will soon be fought at Corinth and that the rebels will be defeated I feel satisfied I believe the rebels strong and that they will fight with desperation knowing that at this particular time defeat will be fated to them But I feel great confidence in Gen Halleck If he be the man the country take him to be we are bound to whip them out of Corinth for I believe with good General ship this army is invincible made up as it is of hardy western men of known courage
     As the time begins to approach for harvesting I begin to feel some concern about you getting through for I judge that help will be hard to get But I am in hopse the boys will have their crop in a condition to be ready for the wheat when it is ripe You had better secure the promise of all the help you can I doant doubt but that I will be able to get money to you by that time but our Reg has not been paid off yet It is causing a goodeal of complaint
Charley Vandisher [i.e., Pvt. Charles Vandershire, Co. C, 53rd Indiana Infantry] says he has writen to his wife some time ago and sent her fifteen dollars that he made in the Hospital at Savannah He is anxious to know whether she got it or not Ask her and write me

I have not time to write longer Do not neglect the schooling of the children
     Give my respects to Mr Puckett and family the boys the famly and the neighbors generally

Your affectionate Husband
George Thomas

Mrs Minerva Thomas