May 31st 1864 :: James M. Walker to Lib

Writen On line of Battle in front of Dallas, Ga
May the 31st /64

Dear Cousin

I seat my self this morning to answer your very welcome letter that I receved most four weeks ago at Bridge Port, Ala. when we were on the march from Nashville to Chatanooga. I would have written sooner but we have only stoped three days since we left Nashville. we have been marching and fighting the rebs every day. We have drove them to this plase and they dont seem to want to drive any further. we havent done any very hard fighting here yet but thare is a steady fire of musketry all day and night and some artillery Shots. they are firing about fifty shots a minut now so you may know that it is a pretty sharp skirmishing.

we have four lines of breast work and our Battery is on the front line about three hundred yards from the rebs. I am not with the Battery to day. I came back to the crossing last night. I have a teem and we have to take the teems back to feed and water once a day. twenty four horses and our cassian teems has to relieve us so I am not up to the front but half of the time. and that is as much as I like for I dont like the music they have out thare. night before last the rebs took to charge our works but they didnt make more than a certain amount. they did not like our can fruit that we gave them in the shape of cast iron balls.

Thare was a pretty stouring time for about twenty minuts. the bullets whiseled around us close as I like to have them to. this is the fourth day since we have been here and our men hasent atacked them yet I think they are trying to flank them for that is the only way we can get them out of here. it would be impossible to drive them out by atacking them in front.

Thare hasnt been any of our boys in the battery hurt yet but some had pretty close calls. Jestin Rodgers had the top of his hat shot out and Jonn Honeywell had his shirt cut on the back of his neck. if they get their heads above the breast works they are shure to be shot at but the rebels has to keepe down their heads to as well as our men.

I presume you have heard that some of the Randolph boys got hurt by their own fire back to Resaca & I wont tell you any thing about it more than the last we heard from the boys they were getting along first rate. Alexander Rose only lost his little finger. track stanfard lost his right arm above the elbo and the two first fingers of his other hand. Mr barasmer did not get hurt so bad. his thumb was hurt some and one eye pretty badly burnt but I guess they will all get along. we have fired our piece a good many times since but have not had any accident yet.

I saw Ezra Spere a few days ago their Battery isnt but a little ways from ours. he has not forgot how to talk yet. I guess I must stop writing for I want to write a letter home to day. Lib write soon. give my respects to all.

From Your affectionat Cousin
James M. Walker
direct to
Goodspeeds Battery
Second Division
Fourth Corps
Near Chatanooga Tenn
army of the Cumberland

==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==

James Madison Walker was the son of Mary Hoffman and Thomas Walker. Mary was the sister of Susannah Hoffman Berlin (Elizabeth's mother).

See The Berlin Family :: List of The Letters for a complete listing of all of the family letters.