[72]

Camp 2 ½ miles from and in sight of Atlanta Ga

July 27^th 1864

Dear and beloved Wife

I now take my pen in hand to answer your letters which I received yesterday, received the one of July 3^rd yesterday afternoon and the one of July 10^th in the evening, was glad to hear from you that you were all well, your letters found me well and are the same to day and hope when this reaches you it will find you well and in good spirits, I was very sorry to hear what I did of Edgar for I was in hopes that he would have staied to Washingtons all summer and longer if he would keep him  If I was at home I think that I could handle him, you can tell him that his wishing me shot & burried will not make but little difference, when I wrote to you last before I was in Marietta but did not stay there long left there on the 16^th crossed the Chattahoocha river the 17^th in the evening, went out on picket that night wrote you that they said we was getting badly whiped down here but I have not seen the time yet fore we have drove the Rebs right straight along all of the time there may have been one or two points where they got the advantage for a short time, but as a whole we have drove them right along as you can plainly see for we are now one hundred & thirty five and a half miles from Chattanooga and we have had to fight them most of the way so you can see that we have not got very badly licked yet,  On the 22^nd of July there was a hard fight clear on the left of our line. McPhersons command was engaged the 15^th 16^th and a part of the 17^th  corps our men lost heavy but the Rebs from all acounts must have lost two to our one in front of the 15^th 16^th corps our folks burried over two thousand dead Rebs, the Rebs made six seperat charges on a portion of the 17^th corps before fell back, which would swell their killed to over 3 thousand our folks took from them that day over three thousand prisners; Gen. M’cPherson was killed so we hear you must do what you think best with Edgar if he dont stay to Mr Smiths and be a good boy find a place somewhere for him and bind him out till he is twenty one if he wont behave with easy treatment he must be put whare he will have to carry himself straigh, you tell him that I think as much of him as I do of any of my children but he must make up his mind that he is not boss yet neither will he be as long as he has a Father and Mother a liveing untill he becoms of age so he can see the better boy he is the better he will be used and the easier time he will have,  I must close by sending all of you my love and best wishes  From your most affectionate Husband  A.C. Smith

PS  This is the last sheat of paper I have got so unles I can beg or borrow I shall be unabl to write again, at preasant

I think you had better have Ella come home I am afraid she will be getting off from the right track unles she is where you can keep your eye on her

Copyright © 2009 Bruce E. Leandro. All rights reserved.