September 23, 1863 [1]

On the left flant of the water we moved over the hilles and holows
and come in on them but we found it a very ruff comeing in so much that
we had to give way we give back and rested awhile and tride them again
but our ranks was too open fur the affect aney thing much we had to give
back the second time an it was very haird fight but concideren the
ingegement I think that the loss was very lite I never saw nothing like
the number of dead men thaire that I did at shiloe the yankes was as
shore that tha would whip us thaire til tha had writen in letters to and
back home how tha was agoing to do to said that tha was agoing to whip
us thaire and then go and take atlanta and go though gorgia out into sout
cairline but it seemes lik as if tha have turned thaire corse the newese
is now that tha have gone back across the tennessee river tha that general
cheetom went back into chattanooga yesterday at won oclock thaire was
some wone devision of troops left heair yesterday evening fur mobile
it is said that general pegram cavlery in acooking five dayes rashones
to go back in to West tennessee again the yankes may undertake to foolus
by making out like tha aire agoing to leave and clip around upon us at
some other point I think that if tha hate to fight as bad as I do tha
would go cleane off we have lost men anuff now we have got aleven men
wounded in our company be sides the too that was kiled and some of them
that was wound will be very apt to die fur tha was wounded very bad
aleven wounded bad anuff to go to the horsepitle be sides several otheres
that was struck with peases of shel that spent and stunted them be sides
some lines fel or some and hurt them our regiment was cut up worse than it
ever was before we have wone or too boyes that is missing that we dont
no anay thing about we taken a grate miney prisneres I dont now how maney
be cides abundance of guns and artilera and other airmey equipments horses
and wagones and when we charged thaire brest works we killed a briddear
general I am mity glad the fight is over I have bin dreadding it long
anuff I have bin in hot places in my life but when we cirgld the third
line of battle I thought that i war than in the hottest plase that I ever
was but when we trid the forth lines in the evening I found hotter wone
than ever thaire was more grape shot and canerater far thaire was
a fine powers of miney balles it like it was imposable a cingle man even
to get out alive I thank God fur my ascape I would like to be at home
to tell you all about the fight but as I cant be thaire I will try to
tell you something about it with my pein I dont write this to wone or
too I am writing to all that wants to reed it nothing more at the
write soon and give all the newse fur I want to heairs from home very bad
excuse my shorte letter if you please I will try to do betern this next
time
G.W.Athey to his parents