[margin:          We started at 12 Oclock today have a long hot weary march before us. Charly is here arrived yesterday is looking verry well he will remain with me. I have given him a horse to ride have not heard from his Commission yet Good wishes to Dan and Mattie Uncle and Aunt and a heart brimfull with love to yourself  Lew]

 

                        Monday Morning May 23^rd 9 am.

                                    Such a Beautiful morning looks a great deal brighter to me now than it did an hour ago for I have just finished reading a dear good letter written by you on the 15^th When you was all alone, and when that poor dear head of yours ached so hard. How sorry I was to hear that you was not feeling so well as usual. would it not been nice If I could only been with you just us two together. What a nice talk we would have had I hardly think your head would have ached Quite so hard as it did. While you was writing that Sunday Our Batterise weare making everything ring I never saw such Artillery fireing seemed as though our Gunners hit wherever they wished

 

All day sunday the roar was Kept up, the enemy could not work their Guns it was altogether too hot for them. so they lay still all day towards afternoon or Evening heavey fighting was heard to the left of us The Enemy attacked/General Hooker’s left and endeavored to turn it but were repulsed with severe loss four pieces of Artillery were also Captured from them. Only two Regiments of our Brigade were engaged during the day

 

At night I lay down and was sleeping very comfortably when all at once I was aroused by a noise a perfect bedlam of confusion all round me While from the front came the sharp rattle of musketry which savored very strongly of a night attack and to add to the comfort of thus being aroused every now and then came a rebel bullit “spat” among the trees or still closer with a wicked “zip” and “thug” as it struck the ground Oh the confusion for a moment was indiscribable. “Hanback we are attacked” says one “Confound it where is my boots” says another. And just as I was taking a dead pull on one of my boots which is uncomfortably hard to pull on, the Col of the 3^rd Ky. Roared out Fall in 3^rd Ky. in such a stentorian voice that it like to have scared me out of my other boot but this confusion soon/ceased soon not a sound could be heard save the sharp rattle of musketry or the thunder of the loud mouthed artillery. Presently the firing began to diminish and soon the last shot had been fired and all was still The next morning the Enemy was gone left just after the night fight, retreated to Resacca then crossed the Oostonaula River destroyed the Rail Road Bridge 600 feet long, and partially destroyed the wagon bridge but not so much but that we immediately Made use of it the 27^th Ills crossing over on it as soon as we arrived at the river but it had to be repaired for artillery before it could be crossed over but this was only the work of a short time and by four PM of the 16^th the Division with its artillery was across and on the march for Calhoun a town 6 miles from Resacca we had a continual skirmish the whole way from every point of rocks from every hill from every old house and bushy knob the rebel Cavalry would lie in wait for our skirmishers fire upon them then mount their horses and gallop to the next defensible point/and repeat the same action, but our boys drove them steadily along and at sundown we were confortable ensconced at Calhoun there we had a house for Head Quarters. and a good nights rest next day Sherman’s Brigade 1^st Brig. of our Division had the advance and had a hard time of it the Enemy made a stand near Adairsville fought hard and at night retreated Sherman lost nearly 200 killed—and wounded. rather severe skirmishing that. We camped in line of battle that night Our Brigade had the advance to Adairsville 2 miles distant then Woods and Stanley’s Divisions of the 4^th Corps passed us. at 12 Oclock we eat dinner at the Home of a Citizen of Adairsville But I received a better treat than a good dinner. A dear letter from my darling Oh you dont know how much good your letters do me please write very often to me just now while I am on this campaign. Write short or long letters they are always welcome even if they only contain ten words just to tell me how you are I am writing to you by every opportunity afforded me If you get all my letters you will be well supplied I have not yet received Matties letter. I wrote to Dan the other day. stir him up make him write in return and tell Mattie she must not forget her promise. I will write to her I sent a Dispatch to Dan Yesterday morning hope he may received it in due time

 

I send you a Chatt Paper with a fair account of opperations around Dalton

                        I shall expect to hear from you often

                                    Ever yours       “Lewis”

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