No. 70.                                                                                               

Camped near the

Chattahoota river,

July 24^th /64

 

Dear Mollie   

I received your letter of the 7 yesterday. I am glad to hear that you are all well. my health is very good & has been all summer. I have not seen Dow for nearly four weeks. he was not very well when I last saw him. we have drove the rebs from the river & it is reported this morning that we have atlanta. we are on the south of the river garding the train. our corps crossed the river on the 14 & our regiment went back the 16 to guard the train. the 22 the train was moved on this side. we are having a good time of it but thare is no telling how long it will last. three corps of our army crossed here. the town is called Roswell. it has been a very nice place / they had two factories, a cotten & woll they made a greadeal of cloth for the government. they will not make eny more very soon for our cavelry were the first in town & they burned them to the ground. our front is over twenty miles from here. day before yesterday they had a sharp fight they advansed on to decater six miles east of Atlanta whare they did not expect us. their force was not very strong & we soon cleaned them out, capturing some prisoners three engines & cars & the boys got lots of tobacco. old Johnson must look out or he will not get away with a whole hide this time. well I have just heard rather sad news, a courier from the front says that General M^cFerson was killed yesterday. he was a fine man & a great general. his loss will be felt in the army as well as at home. 

 

            you spoke in your letter about spending the fourth. you had a good viset & I am glad of it. I would like some of your chery & chicken pie. I think I could do it justice. now I will tell you how we spent the fourth we marched all day & the weather was very warm & roads dusty. we had our regular hard tack & sow belly for dinner & a fiew green apels stewed. I thought of you & wondered whare you was, hoping you was enjoying yourself whare ever you was. well I dont no as I have much more to write to day. thare is no telling when the mail will go out & I will not finish this to day. we have not been paid yet & I cant say how soon we will be, not as long as this campain lasts let it be long or short. M^cFersons body has just been brought in. they are going to Marietta with it to night / thare will be an escort of 60 men thirty from our regiment & thirty from some other. if thare is eny chance I will send this out to night. you spoke in your letter before this about going to newyork. I answered you in my letter before this, but I will say again you must do as you think best. I know you will be prudent with your money whare ever you are & if you think it will be cheaper than it will be to stay thare do as you think best about going. it is taking us still further from home. no more this time write often

 

from yours as ever, my love to our mothers & a good share to your self & my litle ones,

                                                                                                           

good by

To Mollie C Shibly From O Shibly

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