Tantallon Tenn Jan 10^th

 

Dear Brother

                 Your verry welcome letter came just as I was packing up to march to this place we left Stevenson Ala last Thursday and arrived here Friday afternoon it is 20 miles from here to Stevenson we were relieved by Greens Brigade 2^nd Division 12^th A.C. the weather was verry disagreeable it rained and froze as it came down making it verry bad marching and after going 6 miles I stopped and asked a citizens wife to make me some hoe cake which she done I then stopped all night and came on after the Regiment found Penfield had got quarters picked out for me so that I did not have much to do this is the last place that ever was made / the mountains all come together here and we are right in a valley you cant see half a mile either way the Nashville and Chattanooga Rail Road runs through the mountain it is tunnelled for three miles it was here that the rebel Wheeler blew up a train about the time that we came out here our first job was to pursue him then we went to Stevenson from there to this place we have a detail of three men to fetch up the sun it shines about an hour the western soldiers call us band box and soft bread we call them wolverines and hard tack they want to know how much we will take for our star or if they meet one of the 11^th Corps how much will they take for their half moon there is more ill feeling between the eastern and western army than there is between us and the rebs I am sorry to hear / you have reinlisted for three years I was in hopes that you would be able to be at home after next May but as it cant be helped let her rip I should like to be home to see you but that is impossible I hope that Frank will come home to see you and our aged parents I had a glorious old Christmas and New Years plenty of chickens and good old bourbon whiskey you ask me what I want I wish you would send me some postage stamps and oblige me greatly we wont see the pay master this month as they have given all the money to the Veterans of 1864 and they cant find rags enough to make any more green backs hoping that you will get acquainted with the Cromwell gals I will close

 

From Your Affect Brother George /

 

Direct to George S Palmer

Co D 20^th Conn Vols

            1^st Division 12^th Army Corps

                        via Nashville

                                    Tennessee

 

[note in another hand]

 

Geo S Palmer Jan 19

            1864

SOURCES