In Camp June 28th 1898
Dear Mother and Sister

Your most welcome letter came Saturday Eve and I will make the same excuse you do for not answering. We are all in a bustle here now The General told us to hold our selves in readiness to go at any time now. And they are working night and day to have us ready but I think it will take us 4 or 5 days yet. I believe there is 15 regiments to leave tonight I had a list of what each soldier was entitled to but lost it It is one Blue Blouse one overcoat one Brown Blouse two blue pants 1 Brown pants 2 suits underwear 3 pair socks wollen, campaine hat 1 pr leggins 2 pair shoes (they are good ones) 2 blue woolen shirts 2 wollen blankets, Rubber Blanket and one (dog tent) they hold two men now what we have to carry with us in the field is one wollen and one rubber blankets there is an 0 in the middle for the head in case of rain 1 pr socks ½ dog tent with 1/2 of poles haversack and canteen the nap sack goes on conveyences the blankets and 1/2 tent make a nice roll to go over shoulders I have nearly everything now I was out all day Saturday picking B. berries I wish I could send U up some. I have asked for permission to go to Chattanooga and Look Out Mt to morrow we can only get off for six hours so I will not have much time to look around Tell Mrs Burns to leave the pipes till I come back. I will send you this little souvenier it is to go around our neck and if we get lost they will know where we belong I will close now as my time is limited and will write you all about Look Out if I get to the top. There is a Irish fellow by the name of M Burk in our tent who served 8 years in the Royal Irish Fussileers in India and he got a couple of letters yesterday from home so I took these stamps off of them. With love to all I am your loving Son and Brother

Wm H McDonald