(Christmas) Camp 121^st reg^t. O. V. I. near Savannah Ga.

Dec 25^th 1864

My Dear Brother and Family;—

                                                                                                                        It has pleased a kind Father, to permit me to pen a few lines to inform you that I am now at Savannah Ga. and in good health and hope when this message reaches you, it will find you in good health. I was sorry to hear that you were not so well but hope you, long before this time are much better, and also the babe.

 

            I think I can win a Christmas gift this morning from you, by asking for it. I know if I was there I would get it, but we are doing well enough here. We have rice, crackers, beef, pork, coffee and sugar for our Christmas feast, and hope next year if we live to enjoy our Christmas with our friends.

 

            Your kind letter mailed the 23^rd came to hand and was welcomed. I am glad to tell the little girls that their peach leather came and that it was very good. A thousand thanks to you for it, and when I get out of service I will give each of you a kiss.

 

Sister Phebe;—as for the weddings, I can say no more than they shall pitch in as fast as they can. I suppose there will be some weddings that I can danse at after my time is expired. I think, rather soon for Sister Lib, but such things will happen sometimes, yet, I think they should feel assured about it. You need not fear that I will give you such trouble, as I have made up my mind to remain single. Some one of Mothers children must stay with her and I will be the one. / I should of liked to be there to enjoy that pig roast and also to help to butcher, but at that time we were besieging Savannah, which was pretty particular work.

 

            Sister you wish to know whether we have good clothing, and how we stand the cold nights. As for the clothing we have plenty and the nights are not so cold with us as with you. We fare very well as an army and have nothing to complain. I should like to drop into your singing room some evening when you are buissy singing to see whether you would know me. As for the picture I have not been able to have any taken yet. We have been on the move so much that no photographer was able to follow us so I have not been able to have any taken.

 

Well, I must tell you a little about our last campaign. We have undergone another long march, and we are the victors of another rebel city. Savannah one of the old cities of America and a beautiful place has fallen. There were battles fought here in 1777 and monuments erected, and now in 1864 there has been a siege and new monuments can be erected by the side of the old ones. On the 16^th of Nov we left Atlanta in ashes and from there we wound our way untill we rech this point. We passed through Milledgeville, blew up the state house and burnt the jail and other public buildings, tore up the R.R. and distroyed it, and then struck for Sandersville where we had quite a fight, but we drove the ponnies without hope a mercy. From there we went to Louisville where we had another small brush, but not to amount to much. From there we moved on to the Augusta and Savannah R.R. tore it up and (which was between Millen and Augusta) and then struck for the / Savannah and Charlston R.R which we took after a small fight where it crossed the Savanah river, and then they had but the Albany and Gulf road which was taken on the 13^th of this month giving us full communications and cutting all theirs. We then held the river and the three R.R. and a line formed from the Savannah river to the Ogeechee river at Fort McAllister. From there our gun-boats held the line. We lay in this position with the enemies works in our front untill the night of the 20^th when they evacuated the city, but abandoned all their artilliary, five locamotives and many cars all in good condition, ammunition government stores, horses, mules and many other things of importance; also some few steamers and gun-boats. We was told that Gen. Foster had them closed in on the other side of the river, but they crossed on pontoons and in their steamers and got off. The talk is now that Gen. Foster captured 6,000 of them and 60 pieces of artilliary. If so we have made pretty much a clean sweep of the capture, and I hope it is true. They left all their artilliary in the works and all they done was spike them and many they have taken the spikes out. Some are very heavy guns and just new ones.

 

We are now in camp and next tuesday we are to be reviewed by General Sherman in the city of Savannah. I wish you was here to see what will be done and see Gen. Shermans army. He thinks he has the bravest army of all armies, but it is for him to say it. We love him as a leader and hope he will ever lead us to victory. the 14^th (our corps) 15^th 17^th and 20^th Corps form his army at present. I could say much more about our trip but perhaps have written to much already. /

 

            We hear that Gen. Thomas and Hood have had a terrable fight at Franklin and also at Nashville. We feel that Gen Thomas is all right and that he will handle Hood pretty rough. We believe that Thomas is all right if they give him men. We loved him as a leader when he commanded us and we shall ever speak well of him. But I must tell you how we lived on our march and also what for country we passed over. We had pork, beef, mutton, chicken, turkey, goose, sweet-potatoes, irish potatoes, corn-meal-flour, molasses, sugar and many other good things. Shermans boys had a good living you may bet. As for the country some portions was beautiful and others very wet and swampy. About all they cutivate now in this country is corn, rice and potatoes. There was hardly an end to corn, rice and sweet-potatoes. The soil is very sandy and rain has but little affect. I must almost think that we have broken the back bone of the rebelion if ever we done it. We burnt much cotton on our way also. I tell you we captured some beautiful mules and horses and any amount of darkies. The darkies they have sent to Fort Royal to work for Uncle-Sam. But I will close hopeing that God will still in the future remember us, as he has in the past. I wish you health, happiness and hope you enjoyed a good time to-day. God bless you. Farewell

 

                                                                        From your Brother

My best wishes to you and all inquiring                                            Henry Wetzel.

friends and folks.

Please write soon and direct

Comp B. 121^st reg^t O. V. I.

2^nd brig 2^nd div 14^th A.C.

Near Savannah Ga.

 

[margins]

 

I promised to write to the little girls the last letter but could not find the time so I will not promise this time but if I find time I will write to them. All of you write as I can read writing very well. No more this time. Tell me whether you did not get tired reading this letter. I could tell you much more if I was with you.

 

Brother I thank you for the kind advice you gave me, and shall ever try to live right in the sight of God. This is a terable place to do the will of God but I do the best I can.

SOURCES