Name/Title
Civil War Letter from James G. Young to Parents in St. Joseph, MO, Aug. 9, 1864Entry/Object ID
AM2013.14.3Scope and Content
Civil War Letter from James G. Young to Parents in St. Joseph, MO, Aug. 9, 1864, from Near East Point, Ga. Young is a Union soldier serving with th 16th Illinois Volunteers. The letter is written while in camp waiting for the next battle.
Dear Father & Mother
It has been a week or more since I rote (sp) home I thought that I would not written until I would get a letter but none coming to ? I thought as this was a very wet mo (?) and I feeling rather lonesome that I would write you a few lines for the porpos (sp) of passing of time and also let you know that I am still in good health We have moved about considerable since I last rote and don (sp) what might be called (sp) hard fighting with light loss to us
Last Wednesday we moved up on the rebels and drove them through the wooeds handsomly (sp) Thursday we pressed on to them driving them the same as we don the day before with the loss of two men out of the brigade Friday we advanced on the Jonnys and coming up in sight of their works we got into position and fortified ourselves Saturday we lay still
Sunday we made another dash on them and captured two lines of rifle ? and 100 prisoners (sp) we lost about thirty men out of the brigade then we pushed up and took there first line of brest (sp) works and tow pieces of artilery (sp) and we were going for the second line when the 23rd Corps on our right give way and the rebels come in our right flank so strong that we had to fall back and leave the two guns that we had captured we losed (sp) about 10 men in that scrape we fell back 600 yeards and put out a strong picket and about 400 yards in the rear of them we have have throne (sp) up goo earth workes (sp) yesterday the 16th were on picket we have a good crew of rebel works and every rebel that showed himself got a ball put into him one of Co. H was killed one of E and one of G wounded that makes 70 men that has been killed and wound out of the regt.
John Boyd is dead he died in the Hospital some time ago from the efects (sp) of a wound John told me after we come back from home that he had 40 acres of land near Rock point City and I think in gentry Co Mo near his Fathers plase (sp) and if he got killed or died before he paid me the $30 for me to send you the note and that his Father would settle it with you if you would go and see him So I will inclose (sp) the note in this letter and if you chose to colect (sp) it I will give it to you as I know you kneed (sp) some bacon and other little articles about the house at this time My love to all
Your affectionet (sp) son
James G. Young
Well dad after I had finished my letter I laid it on one side and started out along the lines to see what I could see and to finish out if there was any thing new going on or if there was any news in any way So I hear that Atlanta was ours that it was taken yesterday if it is not in our position now I think it will be in a few days as we have the Macon road going East cut of and the west point road was cut yesterday I think the rebels are geting (sp) away from here as fast as the (sp) can I have not heard any of there (sp) big guns for the last day or so. We are about 10 miles south west of Atlanta and about five mules west of East point We have very wet times here it rains every other day
I believer all the boys of your acquaintance are well There is very little sickness in the army at the present and all in good spirits
http://www.downtowneastpoint.com
From August 7th through 26th, Union forces became involved in siege warfare in the East Point area. They slowly inched their way with several smaller engagements being fought along Campbellton Road, Connally’s Mill, and south to Washington Road and a cavalry engagement along Camp Creek near the Redwine Plantation and Redwine Road. Union troops were entrenched to the Atlanta Christian College along Ben Hill Road near Greenbriar Mall. Confederate defenses ran along Delowe Drive and southwest along Kimmeridge through the Woodward Academy in College Park across the Hartsfield Airport to Lee’s Mill adjacent to GA Hwy 85 close to the Farmers Market in Forest Park. This long and painful siege warfare was accompanied by an artillery barrage of Atlanta to attempt to force the city to yield. On August 26, 1864, the U.S. forces moved on the railroads at Shadner Church (Union City). East Point was the lifeline to protect the critical railroads and keep supplies moving into the city. The railroads were cut and the U.S. forces were eventually successful in taking Atlanta on September 2, 1864, following the Battle of Jonesboro.
—Major Perry Bennett, Command Historian
Major Perry Bennett, Logistics Corps, is Command Historian at the 335th Signal Command (Theater).Lexicon
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James G. Young
