Camp 20^th Conn Vols.

Tanttallon Tenn.

Jan. 25^th 1864

           

Dear Parients,

              Your welcome letter of the 15^th and the package with the paper and envelopes I have just recieved. We are having warm pleasant weather here now no snow or ice and but very little frost. I like living here better than at Stevenson only we do not so much nor as good rations as we had there But I think it is a more healthy place here among the mountains We have no sick that are dangerous There are but two companies of our Regt here A and D. the rest is scattered over the road for a distance of fourteen miles / guarding the important bridges. Co B. who are station on the mountain were attacted by 150 reb cavalry a few nights since but drove them off after a short fight. They had one man killed five prisoners and Capt Upson of Co K who was in command of them was severely wounded. The Rebs lost as far as we know one Capt. killed if any were wounded they took them away with them. Capt Upson was shot twice after he had surrendered and had thrown down his pistol I ought to have written they were taken by surprise and Capt Upson was shot while going from the depot to the stockade or fort. They surrounded him and shot him in cold blood. They are the worst kind of an / enemy skulking and prowling around no fair fight about them. The boys all like Capt. Upson and are sworn to be revenged if they have a chance not take any prisoners. These cavalry and Guerrillas are getting quite numerous in this vicinity. We expect they will pay us a visit we keep our rifles and equipments ready for use at a moments notice. Let them come we will do our best at recieveing them. We have an old stockade repaired and a new one in process of erection Perhaps you dont know how they are made. A deep ditch is first dug around a square space of ground of any size in this is placed heavy timbers in an upright position with a small opening on one side for us to run into / These timbers are about eight or ten feet high small holes are cut through for us to put our rifles through and shoot. the timbers are made firm by the ditch being filled with dirt and stone and pressed down hard. a small force of infantry in one of these stockades can keep off a large cavalry force if they have no artillery and the raiders do not have that. Woe be to the unluckey reb that chances to fall into our hands if he belongs to the gang that shot Capt. Upson kill him sure as we catch him

 

But they may select a more important place for an attact. Where there is more stores than here. I hope you will see Lieut. Doolittle he is first Lieut

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