Cassville Georgia May 20^th

 

Dear Parents

                                    I have not heard from you in some time I suppose that you are anxious to hear from your sons after a hard battle of eight days fighting we whipped the enemy our Division lost verry heavy in five hours fighting we lost over one thousand men in killed and wounded our brigade charged the enemys breast works driving them evry where and our division has the honor of capturing four brass field pieces the only ones that were taken after lying on the battle field all night and not / finding the enemy in front we advanced and found the enemy had retreated our Corps followed them up for forty miles when they had not time to cross the river they formed in line of battle at this place and we fought them all day and at night the 20^th Conn and 19^th Michigan were orderd to charge on the town (with silent tread the noble nutmegs started on scaling fences and so we got to the main street we gave three cheers such as would make evry soldier of our glorious old Corps feel glad the enemy not knowing our strength retreated to the hill back of the town and our two regiments held it till this morning when we were reinforced Genl / Johnson Buckner and Hood occupied the house at three and we at eight P.M. Johnson told his men yesterday morning he should not retreat any more but this morning he was missing having retreated across the river during the night he cant stand Hookers boys I suppose that we shall follow him up as close as ever we were glad to find that as we advanced the cars followed as Joe says fight the Rebs and he will keep the cracker line open what they are doing in Virginia is more than we know of our Officers tell us that we have gained a great victory that Richmond is taken but they always tell such stories

 

[verso, another hand]

 

Geo. S Palmer

1864 May 20^th

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