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Regiment: 2nd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Braxton Bragg, David S. Stanley, William S. Rosecrans
Faetteville Tennessee
July 24th 1863
Dear Father
After so long a
time I have at last the oppor-
tunity to write a few lines to
you. to let you know how I
am getting along. the boys are
all well & in fine spirits and
I consider myself one of the best
as far as good health goes. I have not
had a chance to write before in
over thirty day! we left Triune on
the 22
nd of last month & have been
on the go ever since & another is
they did not one of us have any
ink or paper to write with we was
not alowed to carry anything
but what clothes we had on our
backs & our rations & quarter rat-
ions at that we have been away
down in Alabama as far as
the Tennessee river fifteen miles
below Huntsville. old Bragg
burned the Bridge across the
river & we could go no father
we stoped in Huntsville a day
or two & then marched back to
New Market Ala only our Regt
we stoped here two days then
marched back into tennessee to
Winchester while the Regiment
was going there I went on to
Huntsville again with dispatches
from Rosey to Gen. Stanley I
was gone from the Regt four
days before I got back. I went
back to Winchester & got there just
as they were all leaveing for this
place all of Stanleys men are
here now there is between fifteen
& twenty thousands cavalry in all.
I wish you could see them all
in marching order once it would
be the grandest sight you ever
saw. the 4
th Michigan has
been with us all the time saw
Luke & Joe Colenzo evry day nearly
they are both well!
Old Bragg don’t mean to let
us have another sap at him he
is the best chap on a sun I ever
saw. we picked as many as five
thousands deserters & Stragglers in
the mountains. we are camped at
Faetteville a fine place about the
size of Albion. our companys
tents are within twelve feet of
Elk river we have the finest times
that ever we did going in swimming
the river is full all the day long
& we have got a spring board fixed up
on the rock about 25 feet high
where we practice diving we are a
going to put it up 25 feet higher
in a few days & then some of us
will get our necks broke. well I
have written enough to let
you know that I am a live
& well give my best wishes to
all. there is one thing I like to
forgotten. I sent home or to
Frink in Marshall $3500
& you never have wrote whether
you ever got it or not I sent it
since I sent the $55.oo I wish
you would find out if it is
there & yet it I know it got
to Marshall all right for the
Captain says it did
Direct as before
Yours Truly
CH Potter
