Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/burns-robert/
Regiment: 4th Michigan Calvary
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Abraham Lincoln, Andrew J. Smith, George Stoneman, George Thomas, James B. McPherson, John M. Schofield, Kenner Garrard, Nathan B. Forrest, Robert H. Minty, Samuel D. Sturgis, William S. Rosecrans, William T. Sherman
8 or 10 miles from Marietta Ga
In the woods June 18, 1864
My dear Davidson
It is a rainy, cheerless, mis-
erable day and I cannot pass a few minutes in
a better manner than in writing to you. Since
I wrote you on the 12
th we have moved forward
about three miles. On the 15
th the move was
made and we were again engaged in skirmish-
ing with the rebels. In fact we are fighting
nearly every day (some part of our forces). We
are upon the extreme left of the army and “jam”
up against the enemy. Yesterday I rode around
the picket lines and the rebel
[ ? ] were
in plain sight and within good range. The pickets
were not firing on each other as there appeared
to be a tacit agreement between them to remain
quiet. I went out between the lines and
picked the enclosed which I sen you. When
we walked out (our horses we had to leave behind)
the rebel pickets moved their hats to us. During
the night of the 15
th we “slept on our arms” (See a
late number of Harper’s Weekly) We had one advantage
over the men there represented as we had thrown up
quite a formidable breastwork of rails and logs
and had our horses back over a hill to help
us
a away in case it became necessary to change
our base.
Our position, I believe now is thus. We are
about 8 miles from Marietta our centre under Thom-
as being at Big Shanty or Kennesaw Station. our
right is under Schofield, and our left under Mc
Pherson. The line is 6 or 8 miles long. Stone
mans cavalry is on the right flank and ours
(Garrards) on the left.
[Hand-drawn Map]
The rebels are directly in front of us on a
range of hills connecting the three mountains. Brush
Kennesaw and Lost. The right was to push for-
ward to-day and obtain possession of those between
Kennesaw and Lost. I presume they are at it now
as we have been hearing heavy cannonading all
the morning. It is too far off to hear the musketry
It is strange what little impression firing makes on one
after a while. The cannonading we hear hardly ex-
cites any remark. Our men sit or lie under their
flies and awake eat or sleep not seeming to care
a straw whether there is a fight or not. Last
night I woke up and heard the pickets firing
on each other in our front so much that it
wounded quite like a skirmish. Col Minty awoke
about the same time and we listened about
five minutes
and lay down again and slept
soundly until morning reveillee. We knew if the
rebs were coming in force. We would be warned
in time, and there is scarcely a night passes
but what the pickets blaze away at each other
probably to see that they keep their positions.
We have every prospect of success and expect to
spend the 4
th of July in Atlanta. I thought we
would be there before now. We have been out
since the 30
th of April, and are getting to be pretty
tired and very seedy. I suppose however we shall have no
rest until the summer is over. When that time comes
I hope the rebellion will be partly effectually smashed.
I was very much in hopes of seeing Willy here this sea-
son. Genl Smith was ordered here but since Stugges has
been whipped by Forrest near Memphis rumor says that
Smith and his forces are to go there. I hope it may not
be so, as I would much like Willy to be here. He would
be near us as Smith is in McPherson’s Army. Is
Willy going to enter the service again? I hope it will
not be necessary for me to do so, as I am most heartily
sick of soldiering. Wet feet, hard tack, dirt and discom-
fort are not to be eagerly sought for, at least for more
than three years in one man’s life time. Besides it total-
ly unsettles one for at least ten years in fact changes
one’s life. I will not think of it however, my foot is
in. Maybe a grateful country will some day reward is
and (more likely) maybe not. Nous verrous. I have not
heard from you since (I think) May 12
th. I wrote you
May 11
th, 20
th, 30
th June 12
th & 14
th. We get the main semi-oc-
casionally. It is rather discouraging to see a ten days mail
opened and find nothing for myself. In the Detroit Adver-
tiser I read a notice of your marriage. So the deed
is done. You have my best wishes.
How do you like the nominations? We think they might have
inproved on Johnson. He is very unpopular, even among the Un-
ion men in Tennessee. However “A prophet is never without hon-
or, except in his own country” Fremont has commit-
ted suicide. “Requiescat in pace” Our political Generals
are going down one after the other. Butler is the only one
who holds his own now and he is beginning to be a little
shaky. The army believes in Lincoln and would
vote almost “en masse” for him. He may have made mis-
takes but so would others. We have our doubts a-
bout Genl Sherman and say that if Rosecrans yet. I
am for any man who will win. Do write me soon, I sup-
pose you have ere this. Love to yourself & Madge
Your affecly R.B.
We captured (robbed) a mail the other day in which was the enclosed letter. Did
you in your courting days write such
[On Envelope:]
July 7, 1864
June 18
J. Davidson Burns, Esq
Kalamazoo
Michigan
