Fort Donelson Tenn Friday Feb 21

 

Dear Brother & Sister

                        I presume you will be surprized at hearing from me way down here in Dixies Land as I told you in my letter from Jefferson City that we was going to march to St Louis but we got orders while at Jefferson to hurry to this place as we were needed here so we took the cars from there to St Louis and then the boat to this place we arrived here Sunday afternoon about four hours after the Fort had surrendered when we landed every thing was in the wildest confusion every where almost could be seen small parties of men hunting up the wounded and burrying the dead after / we got off the boat and got camped I took a walk over the battle field and the sights that I seen they were awfull beyond description and I hope it will never be my lot to witness such sights again. It is a Glorious Victory but dearly bought with many valuable lives our loss is estimated in killed and wounded at one thousand that of the Rebels can not be ascertained as they burried a great many of there dead during the engagement but it is thought that there loss in killed exceeds ours the number of prisoners taken is estimated at from 12 to 15,000 and every thing they had never did I see such a collection of stuff as they had we captured some splendid guns I tell you it is a hard blow on Secesh they all / say that it is a death-blow to them in this state

 

I suppose we will leave here in a few days but where to I do not know but suppose to Nashville. I had a letter from Father this morning they are all well. Now Dear Brother & Sister I must close perhaps it will be the last letter I will ever write to you for in all probability it will not be many days till the 15^th Reg will have to take their turn. but I hope I will be lucky enough to escape I will write to you soon again When you write Direct by way of Cairo Ills

                                                           

From your Aff Brother

George B Miles

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