Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/baxter-edwin/
Regiment: 1st Michigan Engineers
Battles Mentioned: Lavergne, Tennessee
Historical Figures:
Fort Imus Laverne Tenn Jan. 5/63
Dearest Carrie
I hear that the
mail is in slow running order again and
I hasten to send you a few lines to let
you know of my safety. I have been
hearty as usual since I wrote last. We
have not been engaged
for in any of
the great fights nor been farther to the
front than we are at present.
We moved here the last day of Dec.
and the next morning threw up a hasty
fortification comp
[ ? ] on one side of
wagons, on the other of cedar trees and
brush. The night before we came here
the
refrebels burned 104 wagons here
We encamped in a cedar grove and
plenty of green boughs were hury out
letting the “rebs” know we were at
home to recieve calls.
At two oclock P.M. The rebels
threw a couple of shells into the train
(Which had
p been passing all day from
the front) and immediately charged
on on the train with a long line of
cavalry coming to the road, say,
half a mile from here towards
Nashville. They almost immediately
after turned and charged at full
speed upon our camp. Being
pre-
prepared to receive calls we, of
course gave them the best we had
in the house which sent them howling
back. They then turned the battery
upon us and after throwing a few
shells over our heads charged again
again we sent them howling back
Fof Five several time they changed
each time first trying the effect
of shells and each time with the
same effect. They then sent
a flay of timed to Col. Innes,
in fact, sent three times, and the
last time extended their lines
to our view but we saw nothing
alarming in that and our Colonel
declared they could not spell the
word “surrender” right.
It was [ ? ]
Finding this did no good they did
what the man said he would
have done if the team had not
timed out. They turned out them-
selves and troubled so no man.
Soon after we were reinforced by
a regiment and a battery
of or section,
of two guns. The fight was exclusive
ly our own. Though a few of the 4
th
Mich. Cavalry came in while the whit
flay was pending. We lost one man
killed and eleven wounded. Of the
rebels there have been 19 buried and
about the same number wounded found
by our soldiers. Now many they took
away with them is not known.
We lost about thirty horses and mules
some killed by cannon and some by
musket shots. We only mustered two hun
dred and eighty guns. The lowest estimate
given by prisoners (of whom we have taken
quite a number) of the force of the rebels is
three thousand while most of them set
the number from five to seven
hundred thou-
sands. Our men and officers generally be-
haved nobly.
There has been
terrible fighting, for a week
near Murfreesboro, but few particulars, can
be gathered. You will doubtless see the
account of the fight as soon as I shall
I cannot learn anything definite from
the 21
st Mich. Regt and have heard abso-
lytely nothing from Irn and Mile. I only
hear that the regt is “terribly cut up” but
these stories mostly come from stragglers
who all nearly scared to death. I have not
felt so anxious during the war as I
have for the last four days to hear
from my brothers
In Haste
Ever Your Own
Edwin
Jan 5
Capt Coffinberry will carry this and I
have concluded to send some photographs
but you need not take them for good like-
nesses. I have been
[ ? ] to get others taken
Please send one to my mother. I think I
shall send one to Celia one to Roseina and
one to Bernard.
Ever with love Edwin
I concluded
to send the
whole six
Photos
[ ? ]
and will send
letters to you
when I wish
to have them
[ ? ] my
brothers and
sisters
