1863 September 24, J. Edward James to Lizzie James

Authors

Files

Description

Letter written on September 24, 1863, by J. Edward James, 96th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, in camp opposite Chattanooga, Tennessee, to his sister Lizzie James, Galena, Illinois.

Transcription:

[page 1] “Camp opposite Chattanooga

Sept 24^th 1863

My Dear Sister,

I drop you a few lines on my first chance since the last, our Brigade (and in fact all), has been on the go so much lately that writing has been out of the question. Since I last wrote you there has been one continual fight progressing there has not been an hour but the cannon has been booming. The fight commenced on the center and extreme left and as our corps held that our Brigade was in. On Friday the 18^th we marched our from camp three miles and formed line of battle, the 96 were deployed [page 2] as skirmishers, and soon found they were in close quarters. The enemy were concealed in the brush and poured in volly [sic] after volly [sic] on us, but we succeeded in dislodging them and they retired about a mile and as it was quite dark nothing more was done. The next morning our Brigade took another position 1½ miles to the rear there was one killed and four wounded in the 96^th on Saturday the rest of the Brigade were thrown out and kept up a heavy skirmishing all day, and were forced back in the afternoon, we were reinforced and held the enemy in check. Sunday we expected to have a heavy fight here but the rebs had moved to the center so about ten oclock our Brigade and the second were ordered to move to the center to reinforce Gen’s Thomas & [page 3] McCook near “Dug out Gap”. As I had to see to the getting up rations to the Regiment I did not go on the [a]dvance this day with them but came up in the afternoon with the ambulance train. When our boys arrived on the field, they went in to a heavy engagement and were badly cut up the enemys batteries done sod [sic] havoc in our ranks, one Brigade in particular suffered hards as the charged on a battery three times but were driven back each time. The 96^th lost heavly [sic]. Oh Sister I am sorry to tell the sad tale of some of our boys. My dear friend Beau was killed on the last charge orderly Scheaffer of co A was killed and three or four more of that comp. Oour [sic] Lieut Col. was wounded and has since died as near as I can learn 120 wounded and 48 killed, only 230 working men remain. Capt Hicks commanded the reg. through part of the engagement. Lieut [page 4] Vincent was wounded just below the knee. Pool is all right. As the enemy followed our forces (having fallen back a mile) we were unable to get all of our wounded and dead I was on the field until dark gathering them up but could not find Beaus body I was in hopes to get it next day by a flag of truce but none went out. George Jeffers is writing Mrs Beau the particulars now poor folks they will take it hard, he was a brave fellow and fought to the last. Oour [sic] forces have fallen back to Chattanooga, cannonading going on all day, the baggage trains are all across the river, and it is hard to tell which way the tide is running but we hope for the best it seems that the whole rebel army is concentrated at this point. I re’d your letter of the 7^th I will try to write again in a few days am quite well but tired we are on half rations and everything is in confusion, hope to be straightened out in a day or two, you may direct as formaly [sic], for the present good bye with much love

Edward

[inverted across top of pages 2 and 3] excuse the pencil tell me when you write whether you ____ [unreadable word] recd it”

Identifier

sc.0069.001_002.014

Date

1863 September 24

Keywords

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Correspondents.

Recommended Citation

"1863 September 24, J. Edward James to Lizzie James" (2023). Documents. 14.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/speccoll-mss-jamesje1/14