Decatur Ga; Sept. 11^th 1864

 

Dear Sister;

                        I received a letter from you a few days ago. It was an old letter & would have been received before but we have for two or three weeks cut loose from mail communications in order to capture Atlanta. We left our "Cracker" line too, but before this reaches you, you will have heard how we succeeded in taking the City we have so long been striving for and that now we have fallen back to Decatur 6 miles from Atlanta where the 23^rd Corps will remain until we rest & get some drafted men to fill our Army & enable us to continue our forward movement which we shall probably do in a month. I escaped all accidents though many bullets & shells flew around me and it was almost a miracle that I did escape. The NY Independent you sent I received the day before we started the letter I did not get till we came back. This country is completely desolated where the army has been so long. We passed through some country on our late expedition which was the best I have seen in the South. Fine corn fields, sweet potatoes & bean or pea patches were about the only farming.

 

            It was hot dusty and hard marching / We have crossed all the railroad tracks and torn them up & destroyed those south of the city. Yet our Corps has not yet been inside of the city. During the expedition we were not in the hard fighting & our regiment has not lost any men for three weeks. Before that we lost over one man on an average per day & that too when the aggregate did not exceed three hundred for duty. We draw rations now for 28975 men which includes those who are present sick & detailed for duty at Headquarters & other places I dont think there are over 200 who bear arms & are available in line of battle. Tell me if the draft comes off who are drafted. Will Old Abe be reelected. I hope so though there are many here especially in the Ky. Regts. which belong to our brigade who will vote for M^cClellan. They would vote for him so much the more willingly I suppose because he suits Vallandigham. Well I have not time to write much more. Am too tired and dirty & lazey after our severe campaign & wish to rest a while, to loll about in the shade is a luxury. Love to all, write the news, let them know I am well. Unscratched. Your Bro. A.M. Weston

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