Tantallon Tenn Jan 24^th 1864

Sabath Day 2 P.M.

 

Dear Parents

                        The mail comes in at 2 A.M. and friends remember that they have friends away down here that they ought to write to but some how you have almost forgoten that you have a son in the 20^th C.V. or else it is the fault of the mail I dont know which since I wrote we have had rather exciting times Co B of our regiment have had a fight with a force of Cavalry some one thousand strong which are prowling around here and Capt Upson (formerly Lieut in Co E) is mortally wounded the fight happend on the 20^th and the next day we were all under arms expecting an attack and we are still only we are allowed to stay in our quarters since last night I feel rather tired as I am / evry day this morning we had inspection and each man was orderd to fire off his gun at a mark so we had a target made and fired at it we were too near but few shots hit the mark I have a good Enfield rifle and it looks nice it is too good to make a reb bite the dust on the 20^th I got a pass to go outside the lines to a prayer meeting the minister was a genuine Tennessee home made fashion fellow he wound up by shaking hands with all the women from there I went to a dance (as hop up and down) so I think that I got a sight at fashionable Southern society evry person both male and feminine gender both chew and smoke and chew tobacco and it was verry nice to see our Adjutant and my Captain dancing with young ladies smoking their old pipes one of them said I wonder if that yank has got any tobaco nearing me at the same time she asked me I said no / for I was afraid if I gave a chew to one I should have to to all and as I did not have much I kept what I had about 12 I left satisfied that I had seen all I wanted to of Southern society only think of thirty or forty young ladies in this place that can neither read or write the 5^th Conn 2^nd Mass 3^rd Md and 46^th Penn have all gone home those that would not reinlist and the conscrip were turned over to the twentieth Conn so that we number as many men almost as when we left New Haven 18 months ago the loss in Co B is ten taken prisoners and five wounded (one since died) five missing I will not send this till morning in hopes that I may get a letter from you

I have not heard from Frank for over a month he owes me a letter

 

[verso, another hand]

 

Geo. S. Palmer

Jan 24 1864

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