Near Savannah, Georgia

December 15, 1864

Dear Father: We have reached the sea coast, opened communications with the fleet and are beseiging [sic] this city. Our whole march from Atlanta has been one big picnick. No rain, or cold and plenty of good things for the mess. The entire army has lived on the country. When we passed through there was but little left for Rebel troops to live on. Families have enough to see the winter through but nothing to give away to their friends. During the entire march we met with no force of the enemy that called into action more than our advance guards, except on our extreme flanks when [Joseph] Wheeler’s cavalry and two divisions that were guarding Macon, attacked Kilpatrick on our left and a Brigade of the Fifteenth Cavalry on our right but they were affairs of no importance. There are no men left in this country that can be made soldiers, but they are with Lee and Hood possibly. There are a few old troops in Savannah but the great majority are old men and boys I am in hopes that the commander will send me to Washington with his dispatches after Savannah falls.