Rome. Ga. Sept Oct 20^th/64.

 

My own Dear Etta,

                        You are doubtless getting anxious because I have not written to you lately, but I have a good reason I asure you, for if I had not I could not have put it off so long. The rebs have been useing us pretty rough lately by cutting off our communication with the rest of the world. I am not certain that I can send a letter yet or not but thought I would try it any how. This is one reason for the delay, and another is I have had but verry little time for useing the pen. I am even behind with my Comissary acounts, but I shall write to you first and square them up afterwards.

 

            Since I wrote to you last Dear Etta I have seen some hard times, but a soldier must not complain, it is a part of our profession. On the fifth of this month I participated in one of the hardest fought battles of the war, in which nearly one half of our Company and regt fell or was taken prisoners. Among the killed was Corp. Robbins. he fell at my side while fighting bravely a ball struck him in the forehead. I was much affected when I saw him fall for I felt that I had lost valuable friend and a braver man never trod the battle ground. He has two sisters who were dependant on him for support and who loved him whith a sisters affection and apreciated his worth as a noble generous hearted brother. It will be a sad blow to their / sensitive hearts to hear that their only brother had fallen and would never meet them again in their little family circle. But they have one great consolation which should act as a balm to their wounded hearts. Henry was a Christian. His past life furnishes great evidence of his strong faith in Christ, and if they will follow the course that he has laid out they may meet him in Heaven.

 

            Lieut Atchinson's brother Dudly and his cousin Eldridge walton were also killed. They fell side by side. Dudly lived a short time after the battle but was not sensible any of the time. Tob, as we called him was killed instantly, the ball passed through his head. Poor little fellows they were mere boys, but were brave Soldiers, and their memories will be for ever cherished by their comrades.

 

            Two more of our brave boys were killed, one was a recruit from Leighton. His name was Henry Phillips. He was only 17 years of age and an only son. it will go hard with his parents and sisters. The other was Phillip Hale from Alton. There was two brothers of them in the Co. one was taken and the other left. five 4 more were wounded and four are prisoners. we do not know weather they were wounded or not.

 

            The fight ocured at Allatoona, a small fort and station on the railroad to Atlanta, about mid way betwen Kingston and Marietta, Ga. They aprehended an attack on the fourth and as the garrison was small, our Brig^de was sent on the cars with orders to hold the place until further reinforcements could be sent us, which command orders I can say, with a soldiers pride, was obeyed. 

 

We arrived their at mid night and remained in line of battle until morning, when we were deposited around the fort in rifle pits, our regt ocupying the most important position (as we were armed with the Henry rifles). The rebs atacked us early in the morning with both Artilery and inftry, on all sides, showing plainly that we were surrounded. They then sent in a flag of truse demanding a surrender but were which was sent back again whith the asurence that we were prepared for a fight as soon as they chose to begin, and they were not long about beginning. the first asault as was expected was made on our regt. They charged us three times most desperately but was repulsed each time. They then massed their whole force in front of the 39^th Iowa on our right and rear (the rifle pit formed a right angle). They are as good a regt as ours but were not armed as well, and after fighting until they came hand to hand with the rebs and were overpowered, they were compeled to fall back in confusion, thus leaving us exposed to a heavy fire from the rear and right and front, and would soon have killed evry one of us if we had remained, and as it was whe hardly knew how to get away. we took the plan however evry man for himself, and broke for the fort. I took what I considered the safest rout (though it was not the shortest) and soon perceived that I had run in to a trap, and saw almost certain death staring me in the face. I concluded to run for it and did so, and thought I was doing first rate, until I triped and fell, when I looked back and saw the rebs not twenty feet from me, with their guns pointing right at me. They did not shoot for they / thought I was wounded, but commanded me to surrender. I confess dear Etta that I was scared. I thought of the long months in prison and how anxious you would be, and I knew that I would be killed if I did not so I threw my gun in a brush pile for I hated to see them get that, and surrendered. Just then there came a shower of bullets from the fort which was about 50 yds distant, which caused considerable comotion in the reble ranks. They were not cowardly for they were old soldiers who had fought us at Corinth, and did not fall back very far but commenced forming a charge, and charged past me yelling like so many wild beasts. As soon as I could with any degree of safty I crawled to my gun and got it, then crawled back to another man who was taken with me, and we hid until they were driven back beyond us, and we saw a chance to get away when we ran for the fort, and reached it in safty.

 

Dear Etta, God was my deliverer. it was through his kind providence that I was saved. He saw fit to protect me through all the danger and I believe that he will continue to protect me and return me in safty to you.

 

I recd your letter dated Oct 1^st after the fight since then the road has been cut. it is not open yet but I think I can get a letter through. we were not back from Allatoona but one day before we were ordered out again and met the rebs about four miles from here and schirmished with them for six miles, driving them all the time. two of our Co were wounded in the schirmish, and since then we stood on a hill and witnessed another schirmish in which the rebs were badly beaten. You will think I am a curious fellow to write for I commenced a description of the Battle of Allatoona but have run off the track entirly and almost finished without telling you how it ended. Our reinforcements did not arrive until after it was over and the rebs gone, on acount of the train running off the track, but we did the work without them although it thined our ranks. we concentrated into the fort and let the rebs charge all they wanted to. after making one or two desperate charges they withdrew and left the premises they lost about 2,500 in killed and wounded and we numbered 2,000 before the fight commenced. / Our whole loss was 706 our regt lost 150. Gen Corse our Commander was wounded, and also Col Rowett of our regt commander of the Brig^d John Robinson was seriously if not mortally wounded. Gen Corse said our regt with the 16 shooters saved the place and that he never saw such desperate fighting as he saw there.

 

            The Brigade Frank Statts belongs to arrived with the reinforcements. I saw him next morning. He is in Rome now but I have not seen him lately.

 

            I hope Dear Etta that this letter will not make you uneasy on my acount. it is true I am in danger continualy but the Lord hears the prayers of my friends at home and shields me from it. Trust all to him Dearest and all will be well. And can you not Dear Etta when you receive this, kneel and thank him for my deliverence? I know you will.

 

I will now reluctantly bid you good night. Oh that I might speak it with my lips and receive a good nights kiss from the dear one of my heart.

 

            I am still and ever will be yours and yours only,

Henry. /

 

P.S

            Direct hearafter to

                        C^o F 7^th Ill. Inf.

                                    3^rd Brig^d 4^th Div.

                                                15^th A.C. Rome, Ga.

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