*** This is a continuing presentation of Civil War letters written by William A. Smith. The letters are made available through Marion Brimberry. I have attempted to type the letters as true to the grammar and spelling as presented to me. David Thomson *** Decatur, Alabama Thursday night July 31st My Dear Wife:- Yours of the 22nd has just been received. We have had no mail since about the 20th till this evening, but todays mail brought me no papers. I wrote to uncle Mordica T. Ballance yesterday and enclosed a note to you but you will receive this about as soon as you get that. I have no news to write to you tonight. I went on a scout yesterday about twelve miles south, which took us up into the mountains a little. We found no secesh soldiers but bound some women that were very bitter to us. We took dinner with one that has two sons and one son-in-law in the Southern army. She was very bitter towards us but we ordered dinner and horse feed for about thirty and the negroes turned in and fixed it up quite soon. Here the rebels had burned quite a lot of cotton a few days ago. Another part of our Company, about thirty, took dinner with her daughter whose husband is in the Southern army. This country has plenty of corn and cattle and there is no danger of our suffering for something to eat as long as that lasts, besides there is plenty of green corn, apples, peaches, watermelons, etc., all ripe and good. We have been toasting ears, and ripe peaches for some time but I always forget to tell you about it. You ask why I did not send Jacks and Clays money? I did not know that I could go to Corinth till about half an hour before I started, then they all went to fixing up their money and Charlie lee took the packages for me and fixed out the amounts on a list for me till I got ready to start. Then I never looked to see who had sent and did not know but that they had sent till Clays money was stolen. I think they have sent their money by someone else. I hope it is home now. Our Regiment is divided. Company L at a creek about 10 miles west of Tuscumbia, half of Company M at a creek about six miles east of Tuscumbia, the other half of it about twelve miles west of here at a trestle work. Company B at a little town on the road, I have forgotten its name. Six companies at Courtland and three companies here. There is some infantry all along the road at each place. I think you are sleepy, so good night. William A. Smith