City of Atlanta Sept 14^th 1864

 

Dear Parents                                                              

Your welcome letter of the 2^nd I have just recd and I hasten to answer it hoping it may find you in good health we have just moved about half a mile from where we have been and have laid out a camp for the first time in some months or since the 25^th of April how long we shall lay is more than I can say probaly two weeks will again find us on the march it would be quite a sight to you to see six army Corps namely the 15^th 16^th and 17^th McPherson late command now under Genl Howard the 7^th 14^th and 20^th under Genl Thomas and 23^rd under Genl Schofield making seven instead of six Corps Genl Slocum takes command of the 20^th Corps Genl Hooker having gone to Washington the President and Genl Grant also Genl Sherman have given the Army of the West some praise by way of congratulating us on our success in this campaign we have not been defeated in a single one of the / many fought battles Genl Shermans order says let each regiment inscribe Atlanta on their flags our old flag is so tatterd and soiled that if it was unfurled I am afraid it would fall to pieces but many of our noble 20^th have fallen under its folds and more may fall our regiment from 12 hundred has dwindled down to 2 hundred seventy five muskets eleven months and the 20^th time is out we have been used so rough the past season that I doubt if they could get a man to reinlist I am glad to hear that the Sage case is settled but I think if Brother had let it go before the court he would have got damages has the old Devil got the Newark property in a tangled mess so that the interest will have to be paid by you I would look out for him the old cuss I wish had been in front of us on the of last July I wouldnt give much for old fate if he had it makes me feel as if I couldnt stand it evry time I think of the old hypocrite I wish that brother could sell produce vegetables and such / stuff before he leaves for Newark I hope you will have a safe journey and by the way have you ever got that breast pin that Minnie Goslee has of me I hope you will get it the people had orders to leave all those who were secesh to go south and the rest to go North the day set for them to leave was last monday of course they went south but they have not sent any north yet almost evry house has a large hole where a shell has passed through and citizens tell a good many stories about such a house a shell went through and killed a woman and little child it must have been sad but such is war I find people here from Conn and N.Y. New Jersey and almost evry day we find some person from towns near where we use to live they mostly all worked for the C.S.A. Govmt making shell to kill their friends with but they are generaly the worst kind of rebels they have always had plenty to eat and wear 

 

the night before we came into town the enemy gave the citizens all the provisions they could carry away with them and then burnt up whole trains of [?] and provisions talk about starving out the south, old Sage might as well talk of being a Christian the Cromwell boys are about as usual Ed sends his regards to you and I will mine to all enquiring friends

                                               

Your Affete Son

Geo S Palmer

 

send for the check

                        write soon

                                    GHP

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