Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/shafer-marion-a/
Regiment: 7th Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned: Atlanta, Georgia Mobile Bay, Alabama Trevilian Station, Virginia
Historical Figures: Abraham Lincoln, David Farragut, George B. McClellan, John H. Morgan, John S. Mosby, Jubal A. Early, Philip H. Sheridan, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant
Pleasant Valey M.D.
Wednesday Sept 7th 1864
Dear folks at home
I received “Joes” and Loraines
letter mailed Aug 30
th in due
time and as I wrote to Mat
that day I thought I would
wate a day or two before I
answered yours. since then we
have had some severe stormy
weather and have moved
from Boliver to this place
a distance of five or six miles
and now I write from Pleasant
Valley truly a pleasant place
correctly named. The Valley I should
think was little better than a
mile wide and some seven or
eight in length beautiful springs
gushing from either side.
Since I received yours of Aug 31
st
the most welcome news of the
campaign has reached us and
has been confirmed the fall
of Atlanta and Faraguts
victories in Mobile Bay are
truly wonderful victories
and must I think discourage
our foe in a great degree
let victory after victory follow
in their train until traitors
are brought to justice. and our
glorious union stands triumphant
To day is pleasant the first ple-
-asant one in three or four of the
past. Our forces are or were at
Berry Ville yesterday. the rebs
dont seem to fall back very
fast I dont pretend to know
why they dont but I suspect
that they want to harvest the
corn and thrash what little
wheat there is in the valley
a little is a great deal to them
just now. nearly all the train
of our Army is here in the Valey
you see that I havent returned
to my regiment yet I have
secured myself a good horse
and shall be ready to join the
regiment as soon as a good
opportunity offers its self
Mosby infests the rear of our
army and unless something
of a force goes out it isnt
considered safe to go through
I presume that in a day or
two a train of forrage and
rations will be going out
with sufficient guard and
then I will be going too
I havent heard nothing in re-
gard to the draft and so I dont
know whether it came off or not.
We get Batimore papers each
day but havent seen to days
yet since I wrote you last
our regiment has suffered some
loss had one killed and two or
three wounded the other day
by a shell. I havent learned their
names. I dislike to be away from
the regiment in these trying times
bu ti considdered it necessary for
my health to relax from active
duty for a little while. I feel
much better now as well as
ever for what I know. I havent
received that Eagle yet. that you
sayd you would send perhaps
to days mail will bring it in
I shall took very anciously for
a letter in a day or two.
I want to hear the result of last
Monday with you To days paper
has just come in I hear the
boys say that “we have whaled
John Morgan out this time. have
killed him” well thats good
Rebel leaders are Hellish when
alive but more so when dead
I write in a hurry but will
write some more Bud
Part Second
It does seem to me but little
remains to be done. to end this
most bloody war. We must keep
Early from entering Maryland
this General Sheridan can do.
I believe Grant must be re-
-inforced untill he has men
enough to figure Lee out of
Petersburg and then Richmond
will be easy pray for our
determined General. Give
Generals Grant and Sheridan
men enough to operate suc-
cessfully against their foes
and then elect Old Abe
for president and I believe
the rebellion goes down soon
after. This is my opinion.
others have diffrent opinions
Some are for Little Mac
As for coming home this
fall or winter I will make
no promises and then
you wont be disappointed
I hope it will be so that we
can all go out of the service
this fall or this winter any
way If Little Mac denounces
all peace parties why in
such a case if nominated
by a loyal party and
upon loyal grounds – then
I might vote for him and
I think he would give
Abraham a close rub
I believe though that Abe
will be our next president
I must stop and eat
supper and then perhaps
I may think of something
more to write
After dinner – the mail
has gone out for to day
nothing came for me
to day. For dinner had
potatoes beef – pork – coffee
and tomatoes pie &c
a very good dinner
for a soldier. Ive havent
the least idea where our
winter quarters will be
this winter. Capt Dan
Powers belonged to the 6th M.C
and was dismissed for his
actions in the fight of Travillian
Station. I think he was taken prisoner
that day. I was sorry to hear of
the death of Miss Sarah Lee
You say it is sickley now
is the time for you to be cau-
tious in evrything you do
eating drinking etc
I would liked to have arrived
home on your pick nick day
I woulc have tested your “cakes
and fixins” That wine must
be getting bully Apples and
peaches you have none We
can with green backs get
plenty of them down here splended
peaches too. in fact all most evry
good thing can be had for money
unless a fellow is out to the
front in Old Virginia. the
meanest country I ever saw
I dispize Va and wouldent
never from choice cross the
Potomac again. About flies
they are about played the
cold rain used them rather rugh
Hoping this will find you all
well and well satisfied. I
will close But write soon and
often and excuse haste in a
soldier in the field. always
P.S. I have postage stamps enought
for the present. Ed is all right
I believe. Dr U and Steward S
are at City Point yet it is a
pity that Dr U dont resign and
give the worthy a chance
B. U. D.
