Camp at Atlanta Ga.

                                                                                                            October 9^th 1864.

 

My Dear Fannie

                                    I am just going to write to you to pass off the time. I know very well that it will be days and perhaps weeks before this letter will even leave Atlanta, but it may reach you sometime, and if written now will be shure to go in the first mail Fannie I am lonesom as a dog to day and you see I have commenced this letter on a big sheet of Fools-cap with a strong determination to fill it unless I run out of words. I have nothing else to do but write and to keep warm for the last two days there has been a strong north-west wind which for this country is quite cold. it pierces through our tents and makes us growl not a little. this afternoon the sun has come out and it bids fair to be warm and pleasant again soon. if it does not I shall have me a fire-place put up forthwith.

 

            I suppose Fannie that you have been looking for letters from me for some time past and perhaps have been dissapointed in not receiving any but when this reaches you with two or three which I have written before you will be satisfied that it was through no fault / or neglect of mine. our communication with the north has been for over two weeks entirely severed so that we have received no mail neither have we been able to send out any we have been completely isolated from the rest of the civilized world and the prospect is good for our remaining so for at least two weeks longer. after our army had ceased to pursue Genl Hood we fell back to Atlanta and East Point. the Johnnies were not quite satisfied with the way we had whiped them and forced them out of Atlanta, so after we had got quietly settled down in camp Genl Hood took it into his head to get around in our rear with his whole army and destroy the Rail Road over which all of our supplies have to come and thus force us to evacuate Atlanta (which we had sacrificed so much to get) or starve but Sherman was not to be caught so easily he was well informed of all the enemies movements and waited until he had crossed to the north side of the Chattahoochee and then started in pursuit. the Rebs struck the Rail Road at Big Shanty above Kenesaw mountain and immediately began to destroy the road. they succeeded in destroying about fifteen miles of track before Sherman could reach them oweing no doubt to the bad roads. a fight ensued in which the enemy were whipped and driven off / from the road. Sherman pursued again and according to last accounts had them so completely surrounded that it was expected he would either capture or scatter their whole army. We have been on rather short rations for a week past owing to the break in the road and I presume we shall be on still shorter, but we will never evacuate this City as long as we have a Mule to eat though we have not come down to that yet and probably will not have to. I am the most concerned about my Stock. I have got Twelve horses and Twenty two mules to feed, and for the last week I have not been able to get a pound of forage for them the poor fellows look gaunt enough, they never saw such treatment before. I have them turned out every day to graze but the grass is so poor that they scarcely get enough to keep them alive. but there is a better time comeing for them if they live to see it.

 

            We have had a rumor here that Grant was fighting within three miles of Richmond and that the probabilities were that he would take the City. God grant he may, for with the capture of Richmond and the election of “Old Abe” the war would shurely close next spring, the Rebs would have nothing more to fight for, every hope of foreign help or recognition would fall to the ground / and with the prospect of an other four years of war before them they would be very apt to give up so hopeless a cause. I for one would be very glad to see our loved country again at peace with the whole world, not on any dishonorable terms of course. we will never consent to a peace on any but honorable terms if we have to to fight yet four more years.

 

            Fannie I wish you could be here a little while and go around the City with me and see the effect of our shot and shell during the seige. some of the buildings have escaped without a mark and others are completely torn in pieces. the Rail Road Depot and Round House give the best evidence of the accuracy of our Artillery practice. at a distance of three miles our guns were able to explode shell in the very center of the City. but Fannie dear I see that I have nearly filled this large sheet of paper, though I doubt some as to its prooving very interesting to you, so I think I had better close. please tell Sarah that I had a compliment for her the other day. Maj Burrows came into my tent and picked up her likeness which accidentally lay on my table he looked at it some time and then said she was very pretty and told me to give her his respects, so here they are but I must close so good by with much love I am as ever yours

 

                                                                        Frank M. Guernsey

                                                                                    R.Q.M. 32 Wis Vol

                                                                                                1^st Div 17^th A. C.

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