.MTUxNw.MjU1NQ

This transcription has not been verified by Special Collections Research Center Staff. Please also consult images of the document.

Head Qrs. Army Tenn.
Pulaski, Tenn Dec. 22 1864
Dear Katy:
I have an opportunity of
sending a letter direct to Richmond by
Col. Johnson A. J. G. who starts in the
morning and gladly avail myself
of it to write to you.
The last time I wrote you was from
Florence or Tuscumbia, just before starting
on the campaign into Tennessee. since then
I have been with the army to within two
& a half miles of Nashville, and am now
getting out tof the state faster than we
came in. The Campaign has been a
very sever one and our army has met
with a terrible reverse. We came into Tennessee
full of hopes, and in the highest spirits, with
every assurance of success, and I had begun
to feel confident that we would winter in
our old state, but the old ill luck of the
of the unfortunate Army of Tenn. seems to hang
around it. At Spring hill between Columbia
& Franklin six thousand of the enemy were
allowed (by the negligence of some one) to
escape us, after we had them completely
cut off, thus necessitating the battle of
Franklin, in which we lost so heavily both
in officers and men: next Forrest was sent
with his command, and Bate's division of
infantry to take Murfreesboro garrison
by about six thousand yankees and to
their disgrace be it said the infrantry acted
shamefully, and were only saved from
being captured and destroyed themselves
by a gallant charge of Armstrong with
his cavalry brigade, they were then ordered
back to the front of Nashville and by
their cowardice there, caused our lines to
be broken, after the enemy had been three
times repulsed from every other portion
of the line, and the result was that our
whole army gave way and fled back, a
disorganized and routed rabble, but I do
injustice to many of our commands when
I use that expression, for though the
demoralization was very great at first,
yet the men soon came back to their colors
and disputed the ground bravely with
the enemy on the whole of the retreat.
It has been raining for the last four
days previous to yesterday, and the roads
are in a terrible condition, yesterday it
commenced freezing and I dread the
march to Tenn. River. The cold weather is
very hard on our poorly clad and nearly
barefooted army. I don't see how the poor
fellows stand it. I know I suffer enough
riding in the cold comfortably clothed as I
am and it must be terrible on those who
are afoot with no shoes and but one
blanket.l I wish they were all somewhere
in winter quarters.
Another of the Memphis boys has
gone. Jim Titus was killed on Tenn.
River by a piece of shell from a gunboat
about the 10th of this month. He was
wounded in the leg, and it had to be amputated.
He died soon after the operation was performed.
Nearly all my old Memphis friends have
been killed or crippled. there are but few
left, and there is no telling who will go next.
I have heard nothing of Ma & Pa for
a long time except that they were keeping
house in Pa. Bettie wrote me on the 3d that
she & Mrs. Evelith would start for Memphis
on the 5th and I hope she is safely with
Ma by this time. I wrote to her and to
Ma and left the letters in Franklin to be
mailed. a young lady there promising me
to send them to Nashville & mail them.
I suppose they will get them.
Write to me as soon as you can. I
am anxious to hear from you. I expect
to start tomorrow morning for Tenn. River
direct to Hd. Qrs. Army Tenn. and mail your
letter, it will find the army.
With much love to Mr. B & the children
Your affectionate brother
Geo.