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Camp near Marietta Ga. Tues. June 7th 1864 Dear Parents; I received the Evening Post yesterday, mailed May 23rd so I am going to answer it. This is the first mail we have had in some time. I shouldn't wonder if the Guerilla had got hold of some of it. I think this is the 8th letter I have written since we left Stevenson. If you havn't got them all it must be the Rebs fault. There has been considerable going on around here since I wrote you last Thursday. We left camp Thursday noon and after marching through the bushes for about two miles, the skirmishing began ahead of us. Our division was formed into a line of battle and moved forward, An awful thunder shower came up just in time, and for about an hour I never saw it rain harder. There was another line of battle ahead of us and as we came to the Rebel lines and commenced firing the rain soon wet the guns so that they wouldn't fire. So we took our bayonets to it and the way the Johneys flew through the bushes was a caution. We chased them for about Two miles. Our Division camped in the woods that night, and the next day at noon the Third Brigade was ordered to go to Altoona creek and guard a bridge. We got to the bridge at dark. We are now somewhere near the railroad and not far from Marietta. The whole army appears to be lying here, the Rebs having left their old positions and moved off to our left. Whether they mean to retreat to Atlanta or fight us here is more than I know. I suppose the Generals know what is going on around here but us privates ain't supposed to know much, especially where the bushes are thick. I hear that general Grant want's the army here to drive the Rebels hard until he has them whipped in Virginia. I think the army can drive them whenever they advance. There hasn't been any advance since the 20th Corps charged them the first night we came here. The Rebs have charged our lines a number of times and got the worst of it every time. Last Saturday they charged the 14th Corps. Their officers told them that the works in front of them was the 100 day Militia, but they soon found out they had made a slight mistake. I don't know how long it will be before we make another move, but as soon as I get another chance I'll write. Oliver |
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