D. H. Blair, Company D, 45th Ohio Volunteers, 2nd Brig, 1st Div., Army of the
Cumberland
1 1/2 miles north east of Atlanta Ga
July 23d 64
Miss E. J. Blair
My Dear Sister
I again improve the chance of droping you a few lines in reply to your kind favour of the
7th inst. which contained the representing shadow of your own sweet symetric person (i.e.
your photo No flatery intended) I presume that is yourself standing up beside that column
with so much pomposity
Well Sis I am well and geting along finly. so is H.N.B. and T.A.R. and you may tell their
folks of them I have not heard from Jo or seen any of his corps since my last. the 14th
core is between them and us so we are not very close together I also heard this morning
that the 32 O.V.I. lost very heavily on the 22d cousin Allison is in the 32d O.V.I. I
understand that the rebs charged on the 20th A.C. breastworks a few days since and were
repulsed with heavy loss to themselves but I do not aprehend much danger of our boys
being hurt as there is but very little danger in fighting from breastworks. Our regt has not
had very much mail latly others get plenty but there is some mistake or some other miss
about ours. We have moved our lines to the east of the city and the left is reaching to get
round it while our right holds to the river & the railroad to protect our "cracker line" We
have been throwing shells into the city for the last two days
Yesterday the rebs got awful brave and feracious all at once and charged on our left wing
which is Gen McPherson's grand division consisting of the 16th 15th & 17th A.C.'s. They
drove our left back about two miles and whiped our boys like dogs and killed Gen.
McPherson But they followed up the chase too far and the scale turned.
Our boys being reinforced from the reserve turned on them and drove the rebs worse then
they did ours. recapturing all their lost artilery & including the dead body of McPherson
and it is curently reported that the reb Gen. Hardee was wounded and fell into our hands
and died this morning. Most of the men and officers believe this but I hardly do.
I suppose cousin Allison M. was in the contest of yesterday & I should be glad to hear
from him I have not so much fears about Jo and Jimmy as they have not been in such hot
contest but they have been in plenty of danger no doubt. We soldiers have got so used to
the roar of artilery musketry and whistling lead that we can scarcly sleep without the
music of them and do not think about danger so much as we used to. beside Sherman
does not expose his men to any unnecessary danger We are very anxious to see Grant
doing something. We know we cannot capture this army they wont stand to us But Lee is
standing up to his capitol and we want to see him go up with it. I presume Sam will be
home soon as his time is out next month I have not seen any of the 1st Ohio boys latly
July 23 64 The rebs have very strong works around the city but they are very close to it.
We can see the suburbs of the city but the city is on the western slope of a hill which
hides it from our view on this side unless we clim some of the hugh pine trees that are so
abundant here. Georgia as far as we have saw it is a very thinly settled state. not more
then one sixth of the land is cleared but where there are mantions they are splendid and
the forests and mountains look beautiful the foliage is mostly pine and other evergreens.
Please write often and do not leave any of one sheet white. scribble it over with
something and I assure you it will be heartily perused. Tell father & mother, Alex's and
all the rest that I have not yet forgotten them
Do not forget Your devoted brother
D H B
