Camp near Atlanta Geo

Aug 10^th 1864

 

            Dear Sister

                                    Yours of the 20^th July came to hand some days since I take this my earliest opportunity to answer. We are still fighting a little every day have not possession of Atlanta the place we started out to take but it must soon fall we are so close to the city that we can se the whole thing. It is a large place looks to be about as large as Indianapolis Some 20,000 thousand inhabitants at least Ladies occasionly come out from the city for protection they say our cannons are tearing every thing to pieces killing women and children but we cant help that they / must leave the place if they want the artillery fireing stoped We have great reasons to be thankfull for our success generly this summer. yet our success in this department has been won by some very hard fighting We have been under fire from musketry and artillery since the 5^th day of may whilst laing writing this letter balls frequently whistle over my tent but so they dont hit me it is all right getting pretty well use to them after hearing them so long.

 

            Dave Hackney is driveing a team I dont se him very often but he is stout I sent word for him to come up and stay with me I dont know whether he will do it or not 

 

Alfred is only in moderate health has the tooth ache a good deal but he has nothing seriously the matter with him

 

I dont think I will stay in the Service longer than this winter I have been fighting a long time and have almost lost my health from exposure yet I am in moderate health at this time

 

I rather pity those poor Girls that have met with misfortune but they are responsible for the whole thing

 

I would like to no the names of the others as was where you live that have their legs broken. Nothing more disgraceful could befall the poor Girls than this misfortune but there is one thing they are to / to shoulder the responsibility

 

Have out of time I must close excuse this hastily written letter

 

                                                            write Soon

 

                                                            Your Brother

                                                            Silas Grimes 

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