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Regiment: 2nd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Braxton Bragg, David S. Stanley, William S. Rosecrans
Camp Bolivar
Stevenson, Alabama
August 20th 1863
Dear Father
Yours of the 6th
came to hand day before
yesterday was very glad to hear
from home once more. there
is not much news. we have
marched a long ways since
I wrote you last. the boys are
all well & enjoying themselves
finely I suppose it is on ac-
count of the good news we have got
lately &we are pretty sure of
the fall of Charleston before
long & there is one thing cer-
tain if we can get old Bragg
to lay over at some of these.
fine places any when in the
State of Alabama we will clean
him out so quickly & nicely
he wont know how it is done.
the most of Roseys army
is at this place now our Cavalry
picketts stand on one side
of the Tennessee River & the rebs
on the other. Just far enough
so we can talk to each other.
our boys & the rebs have been
in swimming together. there is
from six to twelve deserters
nearly evry night & comes over
here some of them take the
rath & joins our ranks without
a morel. we expect to cross the
river soon the ninth Michigan
was detailed to put the pontoons
up to day I am not sure whether
they have gone at it or not
the rebels will trouble us some
when we undertake to cross
the river. the men are all
confident of Rosey success
so much so they ache to get
another crack at him they
intend to wipe him out of
existence (Spoiling for a fight)
Lieut Darrow has been quite sick
but is so that he does duty now.
Tell Albert Clarrey he must write
to me if he dont I will jerk
the boots off from him in about
one year from now if nothing
happens more than I know of
now. it has been impossible to
write a letter for any person for
the last two months I think I
can write as many as you want
now. we have gone into camp &
will probably stay untill we get
ready to cross the river. we belong
to Rosencrants army. our regt
is the first Regt in the first
Brigade & the first Division of
General Stanleys Cavalry
Stanley has command of all
the cavalry in Roseys Army
he is a good General.
We have plenty of peaches apples
green corn potatoes & evry thing
good monday when we was
on the march there was three
days we had nothing to eat we
couldent get even a hard bread
I am glad to hear that you have
got a
[ ? ] & hope he will
prove to be a good one.
You said you had built a
platform 22 by fifty but did
not say where you or who you
made it for! Libbie she must
send me her Photograph the
next letter she writes. exvuse
this miserably writing my pen is
not worth shucks, give my best
wishes to all & write soon.
Yours Respectfully. C.H. Potter