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The following grammar is as the author of the letters wrote them:
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1st Letter
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Pvt William Thomas Co. C.
23 Regt. Ga. Volunteer Infantry
Army of Tenn. C.S.A.
Floyd County, Ga.
Floyd Springs Guards
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I sent Mary 2 dollars she can buy herself a
Dress
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Wm. Thomas
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Richmond Va July 27th 1862
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M.H. Ball......Dear
Sir..........I write you to Let you know that I am well and Injoying vary good Health and hopes
This will finde you and Nancy and the Children well and your poor Mar Well I received Nancy’s Letter dated 11 July She
said that Mary was sick and it makes me vary uneasy and I am Anceious to here from here you of Corse would love to hear a
history of things in general, the Yankees had bin in Camps near This Place and Fortified them selves wee for many miles and
had a strong force and on wednesday the fight commenced in 2 miles of our Camps we Fell in and taken the Second Line and Stand
till Dark and could sea and hear the Fight goin on But we did not git shot we then were ordered Back to our Camps at 1 oclock
that night we was ordered to Mecannix vill 10 miles in some 3 miles of that Place at sun up orders to halt and Ly down a Bout
3 oclock the show comenced we Still Remained on the Rear Line till Just before Sitting of the Sun then we went in through
the main Part of the fight was over though the Cannon Balls fell Thick all Round us till 8 oclock we still did not git a shot
we staid there and The ded Boddys was vary thick all Round us and it was awful Sights the trees and ground and Houses was
all torn up Badly Plum to Mecannix vill 3 miles or more at day we marched up in 2 hundred yard of the Yankees Battery in Double
file and the way they did throw the Balls thick and killed many we fell Back and formed and they went again and the ___y Left
and followed them in quick time we all ways move in quick Time we moved from McConnell vill Some 12 or 15 miles The hottest
days Friday to where the Yankees had made a stand we was marched in under there Cannon Ball and then marched in and Round
in manny Directions the yankees had the advantage they new the ground and Planted there Batterys and there was six hours of
the Regulars firing not 2 minutes in termishin I dont think we was marching on them on three sides and This Co Reg was on
the Left of the Brigade we did not git many shots in through in a Bout as much danger as any Boddy we Lay stayed in 2 or 3
hundred yards of the yan Battery for Several Hours under the Hill a portion of the time, if I Could Sea (you) I Could tell
you so that you Could understand It I Never was so near worned out in my Life It taken me 2 weeks to Recover though Now I
am Well I Rote Mother a Letter Some time Back and The way we are Put Through we havent the opportunity of giving a fine discipsion
though we sea all Privates Does The fighting after all at the Preasent time there are No yankees Near us at Preasent time
we Sea (m) to be able Easy time in the way of Drilling not more Than 1 to 2 hours in The day The Balance of the day is taken
up Cooking Eating vegetables and That high Prices and Still going up we have Just Drawn 20 Dol Each and It is fine times here
When Mr. Medecalf goes Back I Think I shal Send Nancy a Little More Money It will be But Little Now Martin I Want you to Rite
me and I still will Rite I Like To hear from home any time, My Best Respects to your Por Mar Nancy and the children and your
Self
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2nd Letter
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Pvt William Thomas
Co, C 23 Rgmt. Ga. Volunteer Inf. Army of Tenn.
C.S.A.
Floyd County Ga. “Floyd Spring Guards”
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Orange Court House Va August 22, 1862
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This will inform you that I am well and the
Company are generally in Pretty fare Health we have moved some 80 miles north west of Richmond and ant Settled though we are
staying at This Place and has (been) here the last three days though I think we will move in a day or two and mave this Evning
Though I dont no where our Wagons are at Gordons vill 10 miles Back nearer Richmond the Yankees here Lately has been in this
Settlement and a Little fight in This Town and one in a ten miles Two _____ ago one 21 miles of and today I saw 65 prisinors
taken in the Last fight It seams that they are falling Back from This Section. The Prisinors Tell many tales they say they
are fighting for the Stars and Stripes They said a good deal a Bout Abe Rail Splitting and they are as tirard of the War as
we are and wonder why we Dont come on there Soil they could fight us as hard (a) gain There are Some of them hard Cases and
hold they are Right. They generally Say They have quit volering Serving and Abe is Drafting They all seam to no Stone wall
Jackson and his foot Caveralry I dont think there are any yankees in 20 miles of this Place at this time The most of our forces
has moved from Richmond here and her a Bout Jacksons forces and Longstreets are in front of us there some Eight Thosand Troops
camped in this Town Some thinks we will Be sent to Nvill Tenn But I think we will go Back near Richmond and I has Just as
Soon go any other coarse this is pretty country here and fine people and we are Eating Them out fast But we give them our
money The Penecilar is a Low Swampy Pore country and no Place at all in fact I have ben over so much of it I dont what (want)
to sea it any more here I can look at the Blue Rige an mountain and fine farms I would Rite more The Chance is bad to Rite
and I dont know of much more of Interst for This time.
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I sent Nancy $40.00 dollars by Mr. Bates of
Shugar Valley and She will have to go or send some one to his house for it I have rote here _____ two letters since I started
it you may Direct your Letters Richmond I dont no of any more news here at Preasent I learned that Hammond is at home and
I want him to Rite me we here Sea Pretty hard times But are getting use to them I have in my Haver Sack 3 days Rashing and
It is crackers and a Pound of fat Bacon my gun and Equipments wais 35 to 40 pounds and I may have to tote it 20 miles a and
Some Times march all night though I am well and in good Health and when It Rains we take on a marching and we never now one
hour where we will Be the next when we are Sorty Stationed we have Some tents So I will Rite a gain the first opportunity
My Best Respects to all friends
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