This is a letter from Michael Culler to his parents, Jacob Culler and Nancy (Martin) Culler, of Fayette Co, PA, and Adams Co., IL, which was written while he was in the Civil War. Michael, and his brothers Smith, George and Martin all volunteered for the Union Army on 6 Aug. 1862, at Adams Co., IL, and served with Company H of the 73rd Illinois Infantry. Their older brother, John Culler, had joined the Union Army, while the family was still living in MO. John served with Company C of the 7th Missouri Cavalry. Most of the misspellings are left in but some punctuation marks (ie. periods) have been added for clarity. Michael did not use periods. Quote: Camp Near Murfreesboro March the 3, 1863 Dear Father and Mother It is with the greatest of pleasure that i take my pen in hand to let you no that we are all well at presant and i do hope that these few lines will find you all injoying the same health. Martin received a letter from you day before yesterday and we was glad to here from you once more and to here that you was all well and harty. We also received a letter from John Culler. He was well and harty. I guess i will just send you the letter to you and then you can see what he has to say for him self. You also staited in your letter that Mother was fretting because I said that I liked Soulgern better every day. I like a Soulgers life very well but I like home far better all tho I am not home sick so make your selves contented and I think we will be home in about six months more for I don't think the rebels can hold out any longer at the out side. Well Father and Mother I am glad to tell you that George has come up. He is well and harty. We was paid off about a week ago. I started 25 dollars to you and Martin sent 10 dollars and George sent 25 dollars which made $60 dollars in all. We sent it with the agitant. He will take it to Augusta. We sent ours with Sherricks and Prather and Rists...It was all sent in one package and Mr. Sherrick will have to go and git it and distribute it out. John has rote to him to see to it. So you needen trouble your about it for he will have to see to it. Well Mother I had my likeness taken twice. I sent one to you and one to Smith and I am agoant to have it taken again and send it to you and I want you to take your pick of them and then send the other to Maryann. I want you all to have one a piece. Tell Smiths we received his letter the other day and we was glad to here that they are all well and harty. We received a letter from Weavers the other day. They was all well and harty. Mary ann Sent me a pair of gloves but the wether is gitting so that we doant need gloves. We never got them gloves that you sent to us but I guess we have got every thing else you have sent to us. We got three skans of thread and three neadels. Now when this letter comes to hand I want you to rite and let me no where John Bees is and how they are gitting along. I will send Catherine my likeness the next time I get paid off. Tell her she must not think hard of me for not sending it this time. Well I bleave I have nothing more to write this time. I send my best respect to Wrays. Remember me when this you see all tho many miles from me you be. Write in haist. Write in haist. Mr. Mikel Culler End Quote. Sally P.S. Nancy...I am copying you in on these postings which I am sending to the Culler-L family discussion list as Catherine is mentioned in some of them. You may want to join the list for a while as the Rist name is sure to be mentioned in the coming weeks. To subscribe, click on this link CULLER-L-request@rootsweb.com Type only the one word Subscribe in the body of the email. Nothing else, no name, and then send.