Nashville Tennessee (To W C Mallicoat) Dec 13th 1862 Most Effectinate Brother I one time more in life embrase the oppertunity of addressing you by letter. It has bin some time sins I have hered from you till today I luckeyly came a crop one of your old acquantense to drill Capt Herell of the Tennessee Cavelry I was very glad to here from you, that is I was glad to learn of your being well Tho I was very much supprised to learn of you being a Trater to your country And to all that is sencure Brother I realy thought that you mite have looked back only so fairas your grandfather and saw the liberty that he fought for The liberty that I and you have appreciated That was handed down to us by our fore fathers and which people has bin the most presperous of any nation or people on Earth Brother I do not wish to hert your feelings in the least but William rather than I rebell a ganst the government that was or everwill be and the only goverment whar by man was free I would have my right arm severed from my body ya no that I will loase the last drop hearts blued for to mantain the liberty and freedom that we have so much appreciated William I will simply let you no what kind of a politician and soldier man I am In the 1st place I am a Washington democrat from the fact it was by him or rather through his generalship that we have been a republic goverment and in the 2nd place I am a Jefferson and Materson for they was for caring out the constitution that was formed by Washington and others which you may see planly in the constitution of the United States of America but not in any constitution that the so called confederey might adopt for we are convinced that they could not better the old constitution and in the 3rd place I am a Jackson man from the fact that he was for the maintence of law and liberty and when South Carolina made an attempt to seperate from the government in the time of his admanerstation he replied in these words if they dont come back by the eternal I will bring them back and when they saw that the old general was in ernest they soon drew on and if we have of Had a Jackson instead of the rebel Buchanon there would not have bin a rebellion As you and every man can planely see and according to scripture a house divided among it self could not stand and a Kingdom or Nation that is divided against it self should not stand their fore I and every one that can see an inch from his nose could see better than to go with the South in her rebellion or even sympathise with a set of traiters to the interest of all that was sencere Well William I understand that you are against your government which I term as a traiter I am truly sorry to think as here of your being a rebel but I understand that you have come home and taken the oath of allegience to the government which every man owes to the government Let me tell you I was one of the first man in Greene county to defend the old constitution by public speeches and in the 2nd place I was one of the first to valenteer in the defense of the government I valenteer in 1861 and was discharged on account of disibility and I became stout and I reinlisted into the service again I now belong to the 2nd ?(Mipward) Light Artilery Battery I J have been in the last service about twelve monts I have (?more) years to serve yet that is if I live to serve the time Tho I dont no (?that) I thik that the rebels want last another year Well William now you have taken the oath let me give you one word of advice live up to it This is the advice I gave brother Mory and he said he would stand to his oath Well he kept it about 6 months and the rebels got the power and he acted the fool and went off with the rebels and was caught driving union men cattle and was taken prisoner and was sent to St Louis and died their 3 of his boys went in to the rebel service and they have met the same or similar fate Daniel and all of brother in laws is strong union men tho not in the services I got a letter from my family yesterday they are all well and in fine health I weigh 185 lbs and all right William I want you to write me a letter if you please Direct it thus S A J Mallicoat 72 attery 5 2ndMo Light Art I remain as ever your brother thill death Farwell S A J Mallicoat