I'm writing this letter, my darling
From high on the hill
We've been marching ten days
And we're just outside Hopkinsville
It's been snowing all night
And we ain't got no more kerosene
It's colder than hell
Hope you're doing well, Josephine

There's a fever in camp
And our boys are too sick to fight
We done lost old Calvin
Beaver won't make it through the night
I hope I heard the captain say
It's the worst he's ever seen
I'm losing some weight
But I'm still standing up straight, Josephine

Tell my children I miss 'em
And wigh I could kiss 'em once more
Bet they've grown a foot
Since they waved me goodbye at the door
Tell mama and daddy I'm alright
And just want one more thing
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine

There's three thousand union troops
Camped at the river below
There's six hundreds of us
'Least there was two nights ago
When Erwin deserted they hung him down by the tree
God, I'm so scared
Keep me in your prayers, Josephine

Well, the orders come down
We'll attack tonight at nightfall
If we can stop them right here
We can win this war once and for all
You know, I killed a union boy last week
Bet he wasn't fourteen
He looked just like our son
Forgive me for what I've done, Josephine

Tell my children I miss 'em
And wigh I could kiss 'em once more
Bet they've grown a foot
Since they waved me goodbye at the door
Tell mama and daddy I'm alright
And just want one more thing
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine

And lastly, my darling, in case I should be killed
Don't breathe me too long, promise me that you will
Marry another, don't let him treat our babies mean
When he's holding you
Would you think of me too, Josephine?

Tell my babies I miss 'em
And wigh I could kiss 'em once more
Bet they've grown a foot
Since they waved me goodbye at the door
Tell mama and daddy I'm alright
And just want one more thing
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine

I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine