Miller Station Georgia

11 miles from Savanah on Gulf RR

December 17^th 64

 

Dear Brother & Sister

                                    After so long a time kind Providence has again granted me the privilege of addressing you a few lines and hope they may find you all enjoying as good health as when I last heard from you. I am not certain when I can mail my letter but I think I can get it off in a few days I understand that we will get a mail to day from the Fleet on the ocean also rations which would come good at present although we still have enough to eat with the exception of hard tack We use sweet potatoes as a substitute We have been liveing high all the time of our march until the last week we have drawen one days rations of hard bread which has had to last one week but the country has afforded us provision such as sweet potatoes pork beef & as a variety honey chickens sugar molasses &c &c so you see we had but little kneed of goverment rations more than hardtack & coffee. during the march we had half rations of hard bread coffee sugar salt pepper. This is the greatest country and has been all along the march for sweet potatoes I have ever seen also very good for turnips I seen but very few Irish potatoes & what I have seen were small & watery. after crossing the Ocmulgee River at what is called Ocmulgee Mills or Planters Factory we came to what is called The Wilderness which is said to be 75 miles in length and 40 miles wide. I think our Corps came through the center of it, a part of the time we had a road to travail on and part of the time we would not see a road for a day or two it is rather an open country but growen up with pine trees from 4 to 24 inches through & but few 24 inches. there is scarcely any underbrush only along the marshes & little streams there is aparently no soil nothing but sand from Atlanta here. The land is nice and rolling & must certainly be good farming land iff there was anything but sand We could see miles ahead of us while in the wilderness & see nothing but pine trees & a kind of wire grass which grew very thick all through the wilderness it grew about 15 inches high with stems running up about 2 feet high. the blades is hard tough & round about the size of 16^th inch wire it was very hard to walk through on acount of it being so hard & slippery. We found rather a poor class of people living through here & about 3 & 5 miles apart it seemed to me that they lived on but little else than sweet potatoes a little rice & corn but I should think there could be but little corn raised from the looks of their corn stalks standing in the fields. In my estimation Georgia is a poor sandy state and the farther north the better as is the case with most all southern states that I have had the honor of visiting. It is quite a sight to see the large rice fields here. some so large we can scarcely see across them without a weed in them The rice is planted by the Negro drawing his hoe through the sand the Wench then goes after drilling it in with her hand. then the gates are raised and the water let over the field which stands until the rice is sprouted then drawen off and hoed until it gets about knee high then the water is let on again then drawen off & hoed then let on again and left stand until the rice is ripe which generally takes about 4 months from the time it is planted the average yield to the acre is about 60 bushels. It looks a great deal like oats in the straw it is then threshed off the stalk or straw then hulled by some kind of a machine or pounded off by putting it in a block and pounding it like cracking corn for hominy but it is hard work I have not time nor patience to give you even a poor description or detail of our march for it would take me at least two days We left camp at Cartersville on the 12^th day of November (Saturday) we rested about 4 days in the 4 weeks that it took us to reach the Rebbel lines near Savanah. On Friday Dec 9^th we crossed the Ogeechee River near a little village called Eden Station on the Savanah / and Macon R.R. we marched on about S.E. 10 miles and came to a canal running about south from Savanah here we halted for the night and threw up brest works we were about 16 miles from the city Saturday 10, 4 weeks the day we left Cartersville, and about 7 A.M. we we resumed our march by crossing the canal on a lock and marching on the toe path towards the city. we marched very fast and got to within about 4 miles of the city by 11 A.M. when we were fired on from a Reb battery & skirmish line or rather Genls Howard Osterhas & Staff was fired on as they were in frunt but none of them were hurt our Brigade was in frunt and we were throwen in line of battle double quick and in the woods east of the canal. There had been a very heavy fog all fore noon and had just began to clear off when we were fired on by the Rebs. as soon as the line of battle had been formed there was a new line of skirmishers throwen forward. the 59^th Ind Regt had acted as skirmishers all day and this new line was to relieve them Co "A" and "I" of our regt was throwen out there was a swamp a couple of 100 yards in frunt of us. while we were forming or advancing the Rebs buisied themselves by throwing shell at us which burst all around us cut of trees & limbs but did not hurt any of us. we advanced slowly and cautiously until we got to the swamp or slue here we were and could go no further on acount of the water in it I was on the left of our line and we got in the marsh some distance by getting our feet wet but came to a deep slue and could get no further here we lay some time but could not see the enemy we were next to the skirmishers of the 17^th Corps their right rested at the canal and our left at the canal they were in the open woods and could see the enemy they kept up a brisk skirmish. this slue or the deepest part was only about 18 feet wide so I took a couple of the boys and went back to a fence got some rails & threw in the water to cross on the first that tried to cross after we threw the rails in got his settee wet so we got more rails and I took one of the boys gun and cartridge box and crossed I got over to where I could see the enemy line. there was four of us crossed and took shelter behind some trees I see one of the enemy shoot at our men from behind a tree so I fired at him. They had not commenced shooting at us with their rifles until we commenced. after I fired a couple of the other boys fired. then the enemy found us out and they commenced firing the bullets came cutting through the brush pretty close but none of them hit us we kept firing until dark then lay quiet until 9 P.M. when we were relieved by the 93^rd Regt Ills you may bet we were glad when we got out of the marsh and got back to the fire where we could dry our clothes & warm our feet some were shivering with cold. then about the time we got dry and drank our coffee it commenced raining I had a pup tent (as the boys call them) but no blankets they were all in the wagon which was left in the rear but I managed to sleep a little we lay in line of battle all night or rather spent the greater part of the night building brest works during the day Capt Leaman Co "K" was struck on the elbow by a piece of shell which bruised it very much. about daylight Dec 11^th we went in the brest works and lay until about 9 A.M. was then relieved by the 17^th Corps. we then marched back to go around to the right but did not go more than 1 mile where we lay until dark then done our marching after night as we had to pass Reb batteries which was not safe to do in day time. we were within 4 miles of the city on the 10^th & 11^th and now we are 11 miles from the city and within about 4 miles of Ft M^cAlister we got here on the 12^th on the 13^th our Regt was ordered out in a low marshy piece of ground where the tide of the ocean overflows & which is growen up with bull rushes higher than a mans head and so thick we could hardly push through Mud & water knee deep and upwards We deployed as skirmishers and advanced towards the enemys works firing our guns in the direction of their position This was done to draw the attention of the enemy while 7 Regts of the 2^nd Divis charged Fort M^cAlister. they were only / about 20 minutes in capturing the Fort with 27 canon & 300 prisioners our loss was 90 men killed & wounded. There was one man of our Regt belonging to Co F wounded in the face on the 18^th he was in the rifle pits and in the act of shooting at the time the ball struck him on the upper jaw between the eye & mouth it knocked 6 of his teeth out and quite a large piece of bone out of the roof of his mouth he is yet living and it is supposed he will get well. the 14^th there was a man killed at the same place he belonged to the 59^th Indiana they were shot through a loop hole in the rifle pits. I suppose you are all very uneasy about your friends in this Army. I heard that the Fleet here had sent word North that Shermans Army were whipped and badly demoralized scattered all over the south each man hunting his way out as best he could but I suppose that by this time you have heard where we are. Iff we have been whipped we did not know it we have had but very little fighting that I have heard of on this march the most was at Macon where the cavalry done most of the fighting, mostly to to keep the Rebs there while another portion tore up the Macon & Savanah R.R. & give the Infantry time to pass them & cut them off from marching south and reinforcing their more southern brethren. They attacked our pontoon train but were whipped away they undertook to follow up our Cavalry when they were leaving Macon but they runn in a brigd of infantry who were lying in brest works awaiting for such a move they thought they were charging Cavalry and attempted to charge and drive our men twice but the second time they were glad to get away by leaving the ground covered with their dead & dying there was several little Cavalry skirmishes but nothing very serious. Well it is now late we received a mail this after noon I received your letter, Marias Abes Coz Annies it was the largest mail we have ever received but we have been the longest without receiving it than at any other time since we have been in the service we have written no letters nor received none since the 12^th of November or rather the 11^th I did intend to fill this sheet of paper but as the mail goes out in the morning and I have to finish a letter to Charlotte I will not have time to write much as I have but a short piece of candle which I carried in my haversack clear from Atlanta I will not have time to answer your questions, and I suppose Dock will kneed no answer to his as we have moved so far south besides it is hard to tell how he could get too us now or how long we will stay at this place. I came very near getting to see Ed as he passed through Cartersville for Atlanta the train stopped a few minutes Ed sent up word to me that he was at the depot. I started down to see him but just as I got in sight an within 50 yards of the train it started off. Then when we went to Atlanta we only stayed half a day we drew clothing and had so much to attend to that I could not get away to hunt him or Relly up. but while bustling around a young man stepped up to me and asked me what Regt ours was I told him it was the 63^rd Ills and hardly looked at him he started off and as he did so I recognized in him a man by the name of William Johnson. I then called him back. we had quite a long chat, he promised to bring Ed & Relley over iff we stayed there next day but next morning early we started on the march & I have not seen either since We are closley infesting the city of Savanah. there is talk of our Divis going to Beaufort in a few days but I do not know whether the reports are reliable or not I think not I believe every person is in good health boath in the Army & at home as far as I can learn my latest date of letter is Nov 22^nd there is none of our Regt sick but all fat & hearty. Our hard tack did not come to day and reports say we will not get them short of 2 or 3 days some of the other Corps have got rations / I suppose we are waiting for rations to commence the fight in earnest then Woe to Savanah, & many a brave blue coated soldier. There is a report here that the Rebs have made our men who are held prisioner by them take guns and go out in the rifle pits & on the skirmish line & fight us iff they refuse they are shot. but I cannot believe this report to be true. The prisioners we captured in F^t M^cAlister have been made take the torpedos & obstructions out of the river Well I must close. Direct your letters to the 1^st Brigd 3^rd Divis 15 A.C. it will come whether you direct to any certain place or not. Give my love to all my friends & relatives for I have not time to write to them at present but iff I am spared I will write some time With much love & prayers for your health & welfare I close

                       

Your ever affectionate Brother George

To  James & Ellen Madison

 

[parenthetical note in another hand]

 

Capt. George F. Glossbrenner

Co. "I" 63^rd Ill. Vols

 

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