George W. Young to Mary Young, 12 April 1862
Battle field 8 miles above Savanna Tenn—
April the 12th 1862
Dear Mother I take the present opportunity to send you a few lines our brigade got here the morning of the 8th just one day too late for the fight the fighting began Sunday the 6th and lasted untill the next day 4 oclock Sunday our men were routed and severely cut up monday Buell reinforced Grant and drove them back 8 miles killing numbers of them and they are there yet and we are expecting annother attact from them. I have been on picket two nights in four. haven't slept but very little since we have been here have had nothing to cook in and very little to cook. have to lay on the ground without tents as we were on a forced march for 11 days and our wagons could not keep up with us I feel hardly able to write to day and fear I will have a spell of sickness but hope not. our officers say they will make annother dash on us tomorrow and if I dont feel better i ll make a poor /
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out bush whacking the field is about six miles by four and I dont know how many were killed where Nelson fought they were strewn awful thick our men are all buried but not half of the cesesh. they were poorly clad but apparently well fed they nearly all had biscuit in their haversacks and nearly every canteen had whiskey in them I sounded over a hundred of them but found every thing but money although one of our boys got 80 dollars by taking a belt off one
I cant hear any thing of the 37th I dont know where they are My love to all write often no more at present but remain
Yours ever Affct
G W Young
6368
DATABASE CONTENT
(6368) | DL1310.035 | 89 | Letters | 1862-04-12 |
Tags: Alcohol, Battle of Shiloh, Camp/Lodging, Death (Military), Fatigue/Tiredness, Food, Foraging/Theft, Guerrilla Warfare, Picket Duty, Reinforcements, Ulysses S. Grant
People - Records: 2
- (1981) [writer] ~ Young, George W.
- (1983) [recipient] ~ Young, Mary
Places - Records: 1
SOURCES
George W. Young to Mary Young, 12 April 1862, DL1310.035, Nau Collection