East Point Ga.

Sept 23^d 1864

 

Dear Mother

                        Your letter was received a day or two since, and was the first that I have received since I left home. I believe when I last wrote I was staying at Gen. Howards Head Qrs. since that time my base of operations has been repeatedly changed My first move was to join my company on our skirmish line & about two hundred & fifty yds. from the Rebel skirmishers (rather close quarters I can assure you for a novice to make his debut en la guerre.) It at least struck me very forcibly that such was the case the morning I joined the Company. In getting to its position along the line a very exposed position had to be passed over—one at which several men had been killed & wounded—& I was crossing it before the whistling of musket balls warned me of the fact. It is needless for me to say that I felt very much like increasing my gait to a trot, but a lot / of infantry from their holes under the earth were looking on & laughing, & I assumed a look of indifference that even astonished myself. I laid there in a mud hole behind the parapet for about three weeks—firing on the city from a couple of 4½ inch guns—when Sherman began his movement around the city & we were sent back to the river with the 20^th Corps to guard our communications. we with another regular battery there built a fort & planted our guns, having for workmen about a hundred deserters & bounty jumpers about as worthless set of rascals as was ever created—a guard with pistols in hand being at all times necessary to prevent their bolting. We stayed there about three weeks,—having very comfortable quarters, a very nice mess, unexceptionable company indeed the tout ensemble was such that a soldier could not long enjoy better without becoming demoralized—we then moved to this place where we have been ever since. Atlanta was considerably torn to pieces by our shot but with the fortifications that surround it I would think that the rebels could have made a much stronger defense. They have very heavy earth works all around the city & these works are at some points surrounded by two rows of chevaux de frise & two of palisades. But it was not a deficiency of works that lost to them the city but a want of generalship. On the night that Sherman began his movement, Hood gave out / that the entire army were was in retreat towards Marietta & at his instigation a grand celebration & jubilee took place in the city over the retreat of the Yankees—but he soon found out his mistake—in time scarcely to save his army, but not to save the city & thus left to Sherman one of the greatest achievements of the campaign & one unsurpassed as an evidence of military skill & sagacity by any movement of the war. Our army is now drawn in & around Atlanta East Point & Decatur about twelve miles from here I was out there a day or two ago & saw Taff & a number of other acquaintances. Taff was looking better I believe than ever I saw him. He was comfortably located in a nice house out side the suberbs of the town—having shaved off his whiskers & "blocked out" his moustache & [?] he looks as white & fancy (excepting the dress) as a Philada. dandy. His regiment has returned to Ky & he congratulated himself on not having to return with it as it will probably be employed in chasing guerrillas until the term expires. I hope you have had no more raids around M^t Sterling & I expect you have not as I understand Col. Hanson has a Brigade stationed there. I [paper hole] Cousin Emily Barnes & Juliett will / become extremely lonely & the monotony will become almost insupportable since they have no rebels to vent their indignation on. Give my love to Lizzie & Sue & tell them a letter now & then would not be at all mal apropos & would be most gladly welcomed on my part. Ask Howard if he received my letter & tell him also to write. With the hope of hearing from you very soon I remain as ever

 

Your affectionate son

R Howell

 

Address

            Bat. "F". 2^d U.S. Art.

                        17^th A.C. East Point

                                                Ga.

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