May 21^st1864

 

Dear mother

                I thought i would try and write you a fiew lines to let you know that i am stil a live we are now 84 mile south of Chattanooga and fought the rebles and compelled them to abandon their fortifyed position some parts ove our army lossed pretty heavy our regt lost three men one out ove our company he was a recruit belonging to the 79^th regt they is a lot ove them in our regt we have saw some hard times sense we left we have been marching and fighting for 21 days and are not done yet we cut some parts ove the reble army up very bad but for all that they / they are making a good retreat we are close on them it is 54 mile from here to Atalantie it is thought they will make a stand at marietta 20 mile this side of atalantie i feel confident that we will compell them to leave that we have a good sised army here now and i think a good lot ove generals the men in this army are completely wore out but are in good spirits i see they is something doing in the army of the Potomac if all reports are true grant is doing good business we expect to leave their evry moment we gest halted here for the night the railroad is in running order up to us so far the boys are all well but very hard run i dont expect to stop til we get to atalanta Georgia and i expect to have a hard battle this side of / that for they have the best of fortifycations their i think we will get but little rest in our time for they is a great strugle being made to finish the war this summer well as i hant time to write the perticulars i will close for fear i wont get this sent off write soon and dont be oneasy a bout me for i cant write often the way we are fixed write soon

                                                                                                           

Abram Kipp

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