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to Nancy E. Jones

Their orders to leave were countermanded. The graves on the battlefield sadden him to think of all the brave men lost on behalf of their country. The mail was robbed and this letter was taken but he found it floating in the river the next morning.

GLC02739.042

to Nancy E. Jones

"The rebbels is failing in evry sense of the word." The Confederates attacked their pickets but his regiment held them off and will "slay them by the thousands if they try to take this place."

GLC02739.043

to Nancy E. Jones

He is glad she received the 30 dollars he sent. He is sorry for her hardships and "would do anything for you if I could."

GLC02739.044

to Nancy E. Jones

He was detailed and had to leave the 79th to work a twelve pound brass cannon in the 20th Ohio Battery. He does not feel in any more danger as "I can dodge a shell or canon ball some times but a musket ball I can not." The battery consists of two...

GLC02739.045

to Nancy E. Jones

He cannot pray at night in the 20th Ohio and must rely on secret prayer. All the prisoners "that we get say that the rebel armey is both starveing and getting naked for the want of clothes."

GLC02739.046

to Nancy E. Jones

The men and officers of the 20th are all "persecutors of religion" but he will persist in his prayers. They expect a battle soon, "one of thee hardest battles ever fought in America."

GLC02739.047

to Nancy E. Jones

"If general hooker is successful at [Fredericksburg] I think that will end the war." They get good news from the armies of the Mississippi and the Rappahannock every day. He wants a likeness of her and the children. He closes discouraged, having...

GLC02739.048

to Nancy E. Jones

The men of the 20th are by "far mutch the hardest men that I have ever bin with" but they treat him like a gentleman. They no longer expect a fight and he has no doubt "but that our forces have gained a complete victory at fredricksberg."

GLC02739.049

to Nancy E. Jones

"I feel as mutch assured that I will git home alive as mutch as I feel assured that this war will end in the distruction of the southern confederacy." He believes that they will soon have Vicksburg and hopes to move to Fort Donelson soon.

GLC02739.050

to Nancy E. Jones

He thinks the war may end soon but wouldn't be surprised if it lasted a year or two more. Their latest news from Grant is favorable. He will rejoin Company F of the 79th.

GLC02739.051

to Nancy E. Jones

They drove 40,000 Confederates towards Chattanooga and several corps are advancing behind them. Some Confederates say "they want to quit fighting that they have bin deceived long enough by the leaders of the south." He fears the letter will not...

GLC02739.052

to Nancy E. Jones

He has terrible pain in his head and had a tooth removed. He is still with the battery but will be with the regiment soon. "A man cannot git a discharge here until he is four days dead if he wanted it ever so bad."

GLC02739.053

to Nancy E. Jones

He expects the Union to take Vicksburg soon. He must sneak out to prayer meetings in town every night and could be punished if caught.

GLC02739.054

to Nancy E. Jones

He is still with the battery. Mr. Shorter will hand deliver the letter and tell her more in person.

GLC02739.055

to Nancy E. Jones

He has a shelter or dog tent which he stretches out on sticks to cover about five feet of ground. He fashioned a bedstead from an old stable door and uses his oil blanket and dress coat as bedclothes and his knapsack as a pillow. It would be worth...

GLC02739.056

to Nancy E. Jones

They have been marching and fighting and drove the Confederates from the mountains and through Liberty Gap. Moving and placing the cannons in the mountains is difficult and the rain makes it more so.

GLC02739.057

to Nancy E. Jones

The Confederates are retreating towards Chattanooga. The road is so muddy that they can barely get through. The 79th of Illinois and 77th of Pennsylvania defeated nine Confederate regiments. "The rebs having al advantages in the mountains we have...

GLC02739.058

to Nancy E. Jones

They took 200 prisoners from Bragg's army and Grant took 200,000 at Vicksburg. He believes Banks will be "good for port Hudson." Meade defeated Lee at Gettysburg and Lee is retreating with a loss of 30,000 men. "There is no doubt but that lee's...

GLC02739.059

to Nancy E. Jones

He believes "Morgan the [guerilla chief] is neer his last end." The whole army is working well together toward a quick end to the war. The Union has control of Port Hudson and Bragg has left Tennessee. "His Armey is very mutch Reduced" and...

GLC02739.060

to Nancy E. Jones

He received the children's likenesses. She should not write to the captain asking for a furlough. He believes he has fought his last battle; "this armey may have a hard battle yet with brag but I don't expect to be in the engagement."

GLC02739.061

to Nancy E. Jones

He encourages her to go to Indiana with the children and Phebe Jane Walker. He is sending her 21 dollars inside a book of his writings with Lieutenant Williams.

GLC02739.062

to Nancy E. Jones

He has the opportunity to change his terms of service by being mustered out and then sworn in again but awaits her opinion. The new terms would offer him a furlough and a change in pay and length of service.

GLC02739.063

to Nancy E. Jones

Mentions that he has atteneded prayer meetings led by Black church members. Refers to the educational disaparity between Black and White children. Writes, "if they had the schooling and chance that we have they could take care of their selves and be...

GLC02739.064

to Nancy E. Jones

He describes the march from Tullahoma, Tennessee through the mountains. They may follow Bragg to Georgia.

GLC02739.065

to Henry Knox

"Agreeable to your Desire I embrace the earliest Opportunity of acquainting you to the Rate of exchange upon France." Gives details of the rate of exchange of bills. Also notes that the destination and time of sail for a certain Dutch ship is...

GLC02437.00759