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Regiment: 18th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Decatur Ala June 17/64
Dear parents
I will write you a few lines
to let you know that I am well
although I am away down south in Dixie
the regiment took the cars at Nashville
about one oclock on the eleventh
and arrived at Stevenson ala
about two the next morning we
were not relieved at the Mag
until about two hours after the
regiment left and we did not
start till six oclock or about five
hours after the regiment left we
arrived at Steveson about 8 oclock
the next morning thare we found
the regiment we changed cars there
taking the train for Decatur the
cars left us at the junction about
three miles from Decatur about
four oclock we found the red clay
about knee deep with our knapsacks
on our backs we took up our line
of march for our place of destination
the rain had been pouring down in
torrents and it was still a drizzling
we had to cross a lake on a
railroad bridge with nothing but
stringers to walk on we all passed
safely over we arrived here about
dark last night covered with
mud wet to the skin tired and
hungry then we had to go to
work and pitch our pup tents it
you may wonder what a pup tent
is I will tell you they consist of
pieces of cotton cloth about five
feet square two or three pieces
are buttoned together two sticks
are stuck up in the center and
the sides are staked to the
ground there is no gable ends to
them and in a driving storm they
do not amount to much there is
hardly room in one to turn around
I am sitting on my knapsack
with my letter on my knee and
my tent mates Hiram Clark his
on one side of me and Louis
Jennings sits writeing on the
other we came through some very
nice country and some thub looked
pretty hard around Huntsville
it is the nicest country that I
ever saw this is a pretty good
country here the place is small
I know not how long we shall
stay here or what we are going
to do some say that we are going
back twenty miles to Huntsville
and some say that when Grangers
Command is ordered to Kentucky
but there is so many rumors
that we cannot believe any
of them we are south of
the Tennessee river it is a
noble river we crossed it on a
pontoon bridge the rebels are
pretty
[ ? ] here so near that
they some times make a
[ ? ]
at our pickets I expect that
we will have a chance to have
a brush with them I have not
much more to write direct to
Nashville the same as before
and they will be forwarded to
the regiment write to me often
my love to you all from your son
James
Dear Sister
I have just received a letter
from you dated April 27 it has
been on the road a good while
write often my love to you
from your brother James
[On Envelope:]
Mr. Edwin Camp
Hillsdale
Michigan
