Decatur, Ala., June 14, 1864.

 

My Dear Mother:

                        Your letter of June 10^th came to hand last evening, being only three days on the road from home. This is the "fastest time on record", as they say of a quick trip of a steamship. I have never before, since being in Alabama received a letter in less than four days; but this has come to hand in three. Uncle Samuel's mail carriers must have taken a sudden fit of celerity. Possibly, however, this uncommon quickness is intended to be in some manner an atonement for previous negligence. Such an atonement is needed badly; for Jerusha's letter, which you speak of as having been written the day previously, and which contained postage stamps, has not yet arrived. The Examiner, containing the writing paper I received night before last. Possibly the letter may be taking a resting spell for a day or two in Nashville or Louisville. If so, I shall yet receive it; which I am anxious to do, not only for the sake of the letter itself, but also on account of the stamps. This letter will require my last stamp, and I can procure none here; so that unless I receive the letter, or procure stamps in some way now unknown, my future letters must be stampless. The Post Master here procured 2500 stamps the other day; but they were all sold in less than half an hour, and the rush was so great that I was unable to procure any. He is expecting to receive more however in a day or two. You had better send me a stamp in every letter, until I get where it will be safe to send a larger amount. 

 

            This morning having business on the other side of the river I crossed the pontoon bridge. I believe I have previously told you that there is an immense swamp on the other side, some two or three miles in width and several miles in length. In the midst of it there is a lake, some 500 or 600 feet in long width at the point where the railroad crosses it. The lake is very deep. The water is very dark colored and brackish, like all swamp water. I saw here for the first time water lilies. The shores of the lake are full of them. The flower is white and exceedingly beautiful. The plant has a very broad leaf, looking somewhat like a palm leaf. This leaf floats upon the top of the water. The whole swamp is covered with a heavy growth of trees and underbrush, which have an exceedingly luxuriant vegetation. The lake is open, and this vegetation lining the bank looks very beautiful.

 

            A fine view of Decatur is afforded from the railroad embankment. The place has a very pretty situation, being upon high rolling ground. The fortifications loom up in the distance. Upon the outer line of works the sentinel on picket guard can easily be discerned, although the distance is nearly two miles. A fine view of the river for several miles in each direction is also afforded from the same place.

 

            A change in troops is again being made here. New troops from Nashville and other places are coming in, and those now here are to go on to the front. There is one Regiment of 100 days men here. They belong to Indiana.

 

            "All quiet on the" Tennessee.

                       

Your aff. Son,

George.

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