Erastus Winters to Amos Winters and Mary A. Winters, 4 September 1864
25 miles South of Atlanta near
Love Joy Station Ga. Sept 4th
Dear Parents
I embrace the present opportunity of writing to you to inform you that I am still in good health and prosperity I am very happy to tell you that Atlanta is ours and we lay fronting the eneme rebbels 25 miles south of near Love Joy Station I can tell you no particulars farther than General Sherman swung his whole army round toward the Macon RR it was a movement which completely took old Hood by surprise he was perfectly nonplused he published it in the paper that the Yankeys were in full retreat across the Chattahochie but the next thing he knew we were going for his corn bread line but he managed to get all his army out safe our Co / has been guarding the left flank all the time so we have not seen any fighting but the Army of the Tennessee has had some pretty hard fighting in which they drove the Rebbels from the field and they left all their dead and wounded in our hands but I have not heard any particulars of the fight I expect you will get it in the papers as soon as I will hear it the R.R. is all destroyed for about 15 miles. It is pretty generaly believed that we will fall back to Atlanta now and rest but it is hard to tell what Sherman will do he may fall back nearer his base of supplies for we onley started out with 12 days rations to do us 20 so I believe we will fall back besides that it is rumored that longstreet is / on his way here if that is so I think we will have to be on the defensive take it all in all it was one of of the most brilliant movements of this campaign I dont think the Rebbels can get any position now but what they can be flanked out of When we swung round the 20 Corps fell back to the river but now I suppose the 20 Corps is in Atlanta I would give the world almost to go back and see Atlanta after laying round it so long I have a curiosity to see it We got plenty of green corn and sweet potatoes on our way here so we made out firstrate on our rations. It appears as thoug we allways get shelled on the third of the month & on the 3 of July we got / shelled on the 3 of August we got shelled and yesterday the 3 of Sept we got shelled but they was no one hurt in our Regiment Our Brigade has built 38 lines of works since they came to the front our Brigade now consists of the 123 Ind 91st Ind 20 and 27 kentucky and 50 Ohio
to day is Sunday and we are all taking a rest the sun shines very hot and sultry the nights are very cold almost enough for frost and days hot Well I believe I have told you all I know so I will bring my letter to a close I believe it has been a month since I heard from home and I want to hear from you very bad If you can spare me a dollar in money it would prove very exceptable I have a hundred dollers coming to me now but cant get it Write as soon as you get this direct to Atlanta Ga 3 Brigade 2 division 23 Corps 50 OV Co K I am very respectfuly your Soldier Son
Erastus Winters
Amos Winters
Mary ann Winters
3776
DATABASE CONTENT
(3776) | DL1446 | 120 | Letters | 1864-09-04 |
Letter from Erastus Winters, 50th Ohio Infantry, near Lovejoy Station, Georgia, September 4, 1864, re: the fall of Atlanta
Tags: Artillery, Atlanta Campaign, Death (Military), Destruction of Land/Property, Fighting, Food, Injuries, Money, Newspapers, Railroads, Weather, William T. Sherman
People - Records: 3
- (3180) [writer] ~ Winters, Erastus
- (3181) [recipient] ~ Winters, Amos
- (3182) [recipient] ~ Winters, Mary Ann ~ Pine, Mary Ann
Places - Records: 1
- (2263) [origination] ~ Lovejoy's Station, Clayton County, Georgia
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SOURCES
Erastus Winters to Amos Winters and Mary A. Winters, 4 September 1864, DL1446, Nau Collection