14th Ohio Light Artillery

Item LTR-10430

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 6 pages, written in period ink.


14 Ohio Battery
4th Division
16th Army Corps

Near Atlanta, Georgia

August 3rd 1864

My Dear Niece,

On my arrival at the Battery, I found your welcome letter of the 22nd waiting for me. I also got one from Clara at the same time. And as hers was written first, I thought I would answer it first.

We got to the Battery on the 29th and found most of the boys here and well. Two have been killed and five wounded, one or two are sick. We live on hard tack and pork and coffee. I had been sick for some time before we left Decatur and I don’t feel any too well now.

Alta, if you expect that I am going to write any news, you are mistaken. For there is just no news here. But some rumors since I came here. I received a letter from Sophia C. The farmer friends were all well when she wrote. When we were coming down here, we saw little Cale at Stevenson, Alabama. He was well and looked hearty.

I have seen Cousin Walter Tomlinson, also Captain Wilcox, Captain Cummings and Minor. All are well. I have not been to Battery C yet. Nor to the 15th Ohio Battery. Today the cannonading is very slow. Only a little way on the right. For the past two days, the rebs have not sent over so many of their large shell as they did before. Some say, they have left the big forts. But I doubt it some.

This forenoon, I was on detail to go after rations. We went across the river and then up it for quite aways. At last, we got to the place and loaded our wagons. Chiefly with hard bread and oats. The bang they have commenced firing slowly on the left. The only firing of musketry I have heard today was the skirmishers.

I think it was a pity that you should up and put into the house just as a feller was making up his mind. If you always do so, you will surely be a forlorn old maid.

Evening. It commenced blowing and raining very hard this afternoon. So, I had to stop writing and crawl under my warm blanket. Then supper was ready and after that, they got to firing so lively on the left that I went up on a hill to see what was going on. But could see but little. So back I came and went to scratching. But they are now going in like everything. It sounds like quired a fight. The infantry are at it too. But why write about it. All is still now.

Bang, bang. At it again. Well, all I have to say is go in. last evening some of our batteries opened on the city. Our battery was among the number. Shell after shell burst in the city. But what damage was done we know not.

Sorry to hear that your father was not greatly improved. But we must be thankful that he is no worse and keep hoping for the better.

I had my turn at the measles at Decatur. Had them very light and suffered but little from them. Minor got a letter from you saying as he read it, that Uncle bill had been run away with. But I thought it was meant for Uncle Phil.

It is now after dark and my candle is very short and I will have to close. Will says he wrote to you not long since. Please remember us both to all the friends and write soon too.

Your obedient,

Herbert