In Camp near Louisville Ky 11 P.M. December 27, 1864 My dear Davidson All packed up and ready to start. Reveille’s at half past three to-morrow morning. Mud 14 inches or less depp and every prospect of having a soft bed in it tomorrow night
Burns, Robert – December 18, 1864
Near Louisville Dec 18, 1864 My dear Davidson Several days ago I sent you $500 by express which I suppose you must have received by this time. I expected to have heard from it before now. We are still here as you see. living in the mud and such mud ankle deep, and knee deep.
Burns, Robert – December 16, 1864
Camp of 4th Mich Cav’y Near Louisville Ky Dec 16/64 My dear Mother Here we remain yet, preparing to take the field again as soon as we can be remounted. For the last month we have been here receiving horses saddles and equipments.
Burns, Robert – December 3, 1864
Head Qrs 2d Brig. 2d Div Cav’y Corps Military Div of the Mississippi Louisville Ky Dec 3 1864 My dear Davidson I have refrained from writing to you for the last two weeks hoping that I would be able to see you “in [ ? ] persons” every day but you see what a damper has been placed upon my writing aspirations by the enclosed which I received to-day.
Burns, Robert – November 15, 1864
H’d Qrs 1st Brig 2d Cav’y Div Louisville, Ky Nov 15, 1864 My dear Davidson Nearly two months have passed since writing you, but we have been a great part of the time on the other side of the interrupted rail road communications and all of the time on the march.
Burns, Robert – October 26, 1864
Near Rome Ga. Oct 26, 1864 My dear Mother Since the 1st of this month we have been continually in the saddle so that it has been almost impossible for me to write a word to any body. Our rail road communications have also been broken so that we could neither receive nor send any mails.
Burns, Robert – September 17, 1864
Near Atlanta Ga Sept 17, 1864 My dear Davidson Having an opportunity of writing by [ ? ] I read this. Will you please get me a blouse or sack coat of dark blue cloth, cavalry buttons, single breasted, quite short, with two breast pockets inside
Wilson, Albert S. – September 15, 1864
Pine Grove 4th Michigan Cav. Sept. 15th 1864 Dear Niece, Your letter date 29th is received. I hasten to reply, you was a real good firl not to reprimand me for my delinquency in writing you; Hereafter I will do better. I joined my regiment the 22nd of August. Met with no disaster en route save a thorough drenching with rain. Took passage on top of the cars for about 14 hours. I never knew it to rain harder. And to complete the picture the wind blew terribly.
Burns, Robert – September 3, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brig., 2d Cavalry Division, Near Savel Town, G’a September 3 1864. My dear Davidson Yours and Madge’s of the 21st ult I received a few days ago. In it you say that Willy after returning from the trip he was about starting on, intended to go to Missouri to be mustered out with his Company.
Burns, Robert – August 30, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Department of the Cumberland, Near Sand Town GA August 30 1864. My dear Mother I suppose Davidson has written you informing you of my safe return from one of those raids which have lately ended so unfortunately in this department. On the night of the 17th we started and after going away around both the armies of Sherman and Hood returned on the 22d.
Burns, Robert – August 28, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brig., 2d Cavalry Division, Near Sand Town, GA August 28 1864. My dear Davidson A few days ago I wrote you a few lines announcing my safe return from one of these raids which leave generally been so unfortunate in this Department On the 18th at 1 AM our and Col Long’s Brigades the 1st + 2d all under Col Minty left our Peach Tree Creek Camp on the left of our army and at 7 the next morning reported to Genl Kilpatrick at Sand Town, having during the night passed in the rear of our army to its right. We remained quietly at Sand town during the 21st and at sundown started to cut the rebel communications south of Atlanta. Two well equipped expeditions Stoneman’s and McCook’s had been totally ruined in attempting the same thing. We however imagined we were made of sterner stuff and started off in good spirits.
Burns, Robert – August 23, 1864
Near Atlanta Aug 23 1864 My dear Davidson We returned last night dity and tired but safe (I speak for myself) after making the circuit of both armies, cutting rail roads, fighting almost every day. On the 19th we had two distinct battles, on the 20th from. Rode and fought all the night of 17th 18th 19th and until 2 o’clock of the 20th without sleeping except what we snatched in our saddles.
Baker, Murray S. – August 18, 1864
Detachment of the forth mich cav camp at Culleoka tenn Aug the 18 1864 Mi Dear Sister [ ? ] were i take mi pen in hand to anser your kind leter wich i reseced to day dated aug the 7 i was glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well but was sorry to hear that crops was so poor
Baker, George W. – August 17, 1864
Columbia Tenn Aug 17th 1864 Dearest Wife i received your kind letter dated 7th and was glad to here that you was wel it found me wel i was down whare murry was Sunday he was wel and the rest of the boys i am sorry that the times is so bad but i have not got my pay yet i wish that i had som money to send to you but i dont no when i shal git any
Burns, Robert – August 17, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Department of the Cumberland, Peach Tree Creek, GA August 17 1864. My dear Davidson Since mine to you of the 4th inst until the 15th we were laying in the trenches
before Atlanta dismounted and expecting every twelve hour to enter the city. We are not there yet as you will probably be aware when you read the telegrams of this late. I shall not foretell when we shall enter the place as I don’t know, and have too often burned a false prophet. Our lines nearly [ ? ] it, and are about eighteen miles in length. Yesterday Capt Thompson + I rode the extreme length of them from left to right and return. and saw the great army under Sherman at some places we are close to the city. and at others several miles distant.
Burns, Robert – August 4, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Department of the Cumberland, In the trenches before Atlanta GA 8 P.M. August 4 1864 My dear Davidson Your of 28th ult with the enclosed deed I received this afternoon. You may sign and send it to Lyon for me. See that the taxes have been paid. You can invest the funds as you profore. or can use them yourself if you choose.
Burns, Robert – August 2, 1864
In the trenches before Atlanta GA August 2, 1864 My dear Davidson Your last two I received yesterday. 14th + 24th I think. You are improveing. and may after a while regain your firmer position. We are soldiering now with a [ ? ].
Burns, Robert – July 26, 1864
Near Decatur Ga July 26/1864 My dear Davidson Yet all right. Have just returned from a very successful raid of over a hundred miles. Burned rail road bridges, depots and destroyed several miles of track on the Atlanta & Augusta R. R. at Covington.
Burns, Robert – July 16, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brig., 2d Cavalry Division, On Chattahoochie River, Ga July 16, 1864: My dear Davidson On the 10th inst I received yours of June 26th. Why the long delay in its arrival I can not image. I had written you on the 26th May 18th 23rd & 25th June and 7th July, which you had not received. The letter could not have been very well.
Burns, Robert – July 7, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brigade, 2d Cavalry Division, Department of the Cumberland, Near Roswell Factory, GA July 7 1864 My dear Davidson I did not think, that so soon after your marriage, you would have forgotten your former friends. I supposed that, after a while such a thing would have taken place but did not anticipate it quite yet.
Burns, Robert – June 25, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Department of the Cumberland, Foot of Kennesaw Mt, G’a June 25th 1864. My dear Davidson My time being my own for the next hour unless “boots and saddles” should sound. I will again talk to you a little. You are getting a great deal behind in your correspondence.
Burns, Robert – June 25, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Department of the Cumberland, Near Kennesaw Mountain, Ga June 25th 1864 My dear Mother Since mine of June 4th to you we have been marching hither and thither in this country doing our share of hard work and fighting. On the 9th 11th 15th 19th 20th and 23d we (our brigade) were fighting.
Burns, Robert – June 23, 1864
Head-Quarters 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Department of the Cumberland, Somewhere in Cobb Co. G’a June 23d 1864. My dear Davidson I have but a moment to write as I am about starting for Big Shanty to see some of our wounded men. We were in a severe fight on Sunday the 20th The 4th Michigan lost 11 killed 23 wounded and 6 missing.
Burns, Robert – June 18, 1864
8 or 10 miles from Marietta Ga In the woods June 18, 1864 My dear Davidson It is a rainy, cheerless, miserable day and I cannot pass a few minutes in a better manner than in writing to you. Since I wrote you on the 12th we have moved forward about three miles. On the 15th the move was made and we were again engaged in skirmishing 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.