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Regiment: 1st Michigan Engineers
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: William T. Sherman
The U.S. Christian Commission
Sends this sheet as the Soldier’s messenger to his home
Let it haste to those who wait for tidings
General Sherman’s Army
Reg. 1st Mich Eng + Mechnicks
January 14th 1865
From William Slater to Miss Ann Clark
I now take the privalige to adress a few
lines to you as I can not hear from you.
I though that I would keep siting for a spell
and
[ ? ] I shall be able to learn
[ ? ]
that matter home
[ ? ] time I must state
to you that I have been to a nother funeral
this fore noon of one of our Sargants and
that is thre since we came here to Savannah
all out of our Company but I can safely
say that I have had better ealth since I came
to Savannah then I had three or four Hundred
miles from there and nearer the sea
we do go and better I do like it we are only
16 or 18 miles from the ocean ware we be
I cannot say how long we will remain hear
but I must say that we are fortifying it very
strong for something they troops has comenced
to moove but I rather think we will get out
pay before we do leave four and
a half months
[ ? ] how but it is hard.
For me to tell wether we will or not
I only expect so I do think that Oisters is
the cheapest thing that we have got down
heare they are one dollar pre bushel and
everything is the same as eating green backs
and there is nother to buy I do see some verry
respectable looking Women fane to sell a little
corn bread or small brisket it as been a
verry nise citty before the war but you
do see how this war does ruin a great
many famileys and starves them to
forc must say before Gen Shearmans
Army came to Savannah that they
rittions had pleanty to eat and to share
I always said that I did not no how they did
live but as soon as we did start on they
rade I soon found out that the rebbs
had plenty of everything and plenty
but not after they army had passed
through you are not as smart as Mrs
Dingman in answering his letters I rote
to you one day and they next I rote for
Dingman to is wife and she answered
[ ? ] and he got it some over a week ago
and I told her to direct the same as I told
you it seems strange to me as I should
get no answer from non or you and
you must send me that new pen
as I rote for or I will have to stop siting
and if Mr. Can as not got it I
[ ? ]
to hurrey him up and send a good one
and a heavy one just as I told you and
that book with the Almanack in I am
wating Potiently I do look for it if we do
get the mail in an
[ ? ] season and
I hope and trust that the children is all
well and in great spirits and I wish you
not to let them get old of that map
as I sent to you for I look to be at home
once more as I do look strongly for it and
I mean to make a little better home
then I did and I do think a great deal
more of home then ever I did before I do
think that there is no plase like home.
Let it be so humble there is four of us
in one tent and we do make it go as
well as we can there is on thing that is
in my favour. I do not go hout much
with the men to work and that I
[ ? ]
much better it does not weary me out so
you see we have not as good doings as
when we are at home weather in sleeping
I have managed to get one shirt I ware
going to say
[ ? ] out I should of told
something that war not so once in about
three weeks so you can imagine in ____
stake we are in but it no use to grumble
I do expect you have killed your pig
before this time and I do expect
[next three
lines illegible, faded]
cow but as they old saying never mind
[ ? ] they wind will blow fare for it
[ ? ] can only manage to get some
plase ware I can keep a cow and
a horse for the Waggon as I am going
to have maid as quick as I can get
a answe from
[ ? ] bank be going
for the operation I have to have
something to amuse my time with
ther fore I must conclude by
giving my respects to you all hoping
you all are all well and in good sperits
Yours + Direct to William Slater
Com F First Mich Eng + Mech Gen.
Shearmans Army Savannah Georgia
