Letter from Ellison Capers to his wife Lottie, October 21, 1864

Letter from Ellison Capers to his wife Lottie, October 21, 1864

Capers writes to Lottie about the recent movements of the army and what he has been doing. He tells her the places they have marched to and that it adds up to 257 miles. He apologizes for not writing more and states that the only reason they have stopped in Gadsden is so the bare footed men could get shoes. He also mentions that he was nominated for the Legislature and was gratified but has heard nothing about it and could not withdraw on account of not having mail or telegraphic access.

A1961.1, Box 3, Folder 39

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Ellison Capers Collection

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English

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https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/510

[Page 1]
Bivouac at Gadsden Ala.
Friday October 21st ‘64

My precious wife

I wrote you from Cedar Town Ga. on the 9th inst. and sent the letter by Minnis. I hope you have received it several days since. This army has been marching every day since we crossed the Chattahoochee on the 29th of Sept. last. From Cedar Town we marched up to the R.R. & made a finish of it to Resaca to Tunnel Hill. Our Corps (now com’d by Chatham) destroyed the road from Dalton to Tunnel Hill, & our division did the work at Dalton, capturing the garrison of 750 negro soldiers & 100 whites. I spent my birthday in part tearing up R.R. & on the march from Dalton to Villanow, which is 15 miles south west of Dalton. Our army is here now, having arrived last night. We will take up the march again this afternoon for Northern Ala. and Tenn. This is a great undertaking & I trust that the spirit of God may go along with it. If you look on the map you will see what a march we have performed. From Jonesboro to Palmetto, Powder Springs, Cedar Town, Cane Spring, across the Coosa & up to Resaca, Dalton, & Tunnel Hill, & then down to Villanow, Alpine & now here at Gadsden; in all a march of 257 miles. We are very much fatigued my darling when we stop to camp at night. We have had two mails since we left Palmetto, one

[Page 2]
at Cedar Town and the other at this place. I send this by an opportunity to be mailed in So. Ca. D.V. Such a length of time has never before passed without my writing to you my dear Lottie. I am so much engaged, & our march is so constant that I have not had time to write you at night and our starts are always at daylight. We are halting here to get shoes for our bare footed men; of whom I have 20 in my regiment. I omitted to tell you that my Regt. was sent out to hold a gap in Taylor’s Ridge, near Villanow. The enemy, in force, pressured me heavily, & I lost some 20 of my men, three of my best officers captured. Sherman is said to be following us, but I doubt if he is, in force. If he really is, however, I can’t see how it will affect our march toward Tenn. I was gratified at the kind manner in which I was nominated for the Legislature, but I am very sorry that I did not see the nomination in time to withdraw my name. The first I knew of it, was in your letter & Bowie’s paper rec’d at Cedar Town on the night of the 8th. The election day being the 11th, only three days from that time. I had no mail, nor telegraphic opportunities by which I could withdraw, yet I wrote to the courier so doing and sent my note to [illegible]. My men, who would have gladly voted for me, knew nothing of it, & I suppose the Charleston Soldiers in Va. did not know of it and so I will

[Rest of letter is missing]