ASHAEL SUMNER DEAN

 CIVIL WAR LETTERS TO HIS FAMILY

 

 

 

Battery Thunderbolt

Savannah

Jan’y 3rd  1865

Dear Mother

   Your letter of the 22 ult was received and this seems to be the first chance to answer  We are very busy the time we are at anchor is not half the time we are under weigh  Since Sherman came to the coast we have  had to do the communicating between the Army and Navy and in this way we go into all the creeks and rivers with in fifty miles of Savannnah

  Sherman has begun to move his Army from Savannah   They go down the river, over the bay to Beaufort  where they can be more easily clothed  and fed.  The entire Army has worn their clothes all out and must have new before they go to Charleston which will now be very soon

  Yesterday we came here for troops we took on a Brigade and took them to Beaufort and as I am writing we are here for another load

  There is one Corps here all going or gone  In it 17000 men   This is one of four besides the Cavalry force  This Corps is a small one  Sherman has more than 75000 men here all hale and hearty none of them sick  The Surgeons say they have had nothing to do since they left Atlanta  You should see them  I enjoy looking at them very much  They find everything novel and are in high glee   They are invetirate gamblers  They gamble at all times and nearly always for money  Some whom we took yesterday had $2000 which they got in that way - as a whole they are an untamed set  Gen. Howard is an exception  I was told by a Brigader Commander that he was the only man in S’s whole Army that did not swear and drink whisky of course he spoke loosely  Sherman is rough  swears  and drinks but not immoderately -

  You at home have really been afflicted  I hope by now both Anne and Marcus have quite recovered, I am glad to hear that Father is so well and is doing so well  He has not answered my letter yet.

   Fred seems to be a strong  healthy boy  I was afraid he would not be as strong as Nellie but he has fair to go beyond her  He does not talk much does he?  I suppose he has got over the ill nature of his younger days?

  You will find it difficult to make this out I am afraid some how I have not taken much pains with this and also you see it is brief  I will try to do better at another time  Give my love to Father and tell him I see more property wasted every day than he makes in a year  it shakes my idea of economy very much

 

                                                         Yours affectionately

                                                                  Sumner

 

 

 

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