ALLATOONA LETTER

(While Jefferson Moses frequently wrote letters during the war, this is the only one known to exist. He writes with more reflection and emotion than he shows in the diary. He was affected by the death of Henry Carl and writes at length about this in the first portion of the letter. He probably just learned in a letter from home of the pregnancy of his unmarried sister Clarry. In the latter part of the letter he is very provoked at the unnamed man responsible. Clarry gave birth to an out of wedlock daughter on February 25, 1865)

Camp of the 93rd Reg Ill Inft Vol at Allatoona Georgia Oct 24 1864

Dear father & Mother

It is with great care and mutch Kindness that god has shown towards me in giving me this plesent opertunity to adress you with afiew lines to let you know how I am prospering by this time. I am thankful to god that he has kept me safe so far and has blest me with good health until the last week. I have had Considirable Augue (ague was a common illness of soldiers during the war characterized by periods of chills, fever and sweating) but I feel prety good as long as I havent got the Chills but what makes me the sickest is the fever after I am over the Chills but still it dont last onely one day. I have had two chills in 6 day and if it dont come eny oftner then that why I can be very thankful. Some of the boys in our reg have it every day regular at that but I hope I ought to shake again but I dont feel enything yet so far and I hope I may not get it.

Before I go further I will tell you of a sad day we had yesterdy. Sunday we had a very solom day in buring one of our Comrads that was near and dear to us. That was Henry C. Carl. He was a noble young man. Allway willing to do his duty when called upon and he was allway found at his post but god seen fit to call him away and god only Know how long it will be till some of us will hafto folow him.

Henry Carl was wounded here on the 5th at this batle Allatoona Georgia. He was wounded severly. He was shot through the right lung. The ball enterd right under his arm under the right arm and lodged near his back bone but docters took the ball out with out eny trouble and had hops of him recovering but I think he was shot to deep. It could not heal. Oh I did pity him so I did and how I do pity his family and wife that they are mad desolot now are fatherless. It is hard but I hope god will be with them now and forever.

I did not see carl when he was wounded but he was wounded outsid of the fort right after we had retreated back and I think he lay there till the batle was over. Then the first thing I seen som of our boys cary him insid of the fort. Then by that time I supose he had bleed considerable but not to hurt him I think but then you know being shot through the lungs the blood setled on his lungs and of corse could not work off and of corse then it had to mortyfy to get out and after it mortified once then all hope of his recovery were over.

I was down to see him a couple of days after the fight. He looked well then and was full of life at that time but I could well see he had paines but from what I can learn he died very easy. There was a chaplain who come to see him and he thought agoodeal of him and I rather think he died happy. I hope he did. The chaplain was here when we buried him.

We had a regular prosession af 12 men and a corporel. They marched down and martiel mucic by the regmental band. Then the men they marched after the Ambulance till up to his grave. Then they halted and the Chaplain red a couple of verses and said a couple of words then prayed a prayar. Three salutes were fired over his coffin then he was covered. I did not go down. I felt so very dizzy at the time and I did make around very mutch yesterday. Now Henry C. Carl and Simon Hulbert they lay in one row. All of our regt that were killed on the 5th lay in one row on a little hill and every one has a nies head board up. Henry and Simon were boath mess mates and slept together and now they rest together until the Judgement day comes when all shall rise again to apere before god there to give an acount of their steward ship here below. (Corporal Hulbert of Company G was killed on October 5 during the battle of Allatoona Pass. The regimental history lists his name as Lyman Hulbert.)

We have now moved into winter quarters. We moved our tents Insid of the forts and now we have built us Chimneys. We have very plesent at present but how long we will stay is not in my knowledge to know. There is some rumers in camp that we have orders to march but I guess it is only a flying report not uless they should evacuat this rod which I dont think they will yet awhile.

I did not stat eny at first that I had a letter from you on the 21st dated the 3rd and 6th of this month. I was very glad to hear from you. We dont get our mail regular anymor since old hood (Confederate General John Bell Hood) has got in the rear of us. But now the railroad is nearly repaired. They Expect trains through every day know and I hope we may get mail more regular after this. You see the reason that you did not get my letter. Old hood had got in the rear of sherman but when old hood got to the road where he found old sherman. There to they had some fighting. I know not how mutch. I supose you see it in the paper before this all about it.

Oh father I was sorry to hear of the bad luck that Clarry (sister Clara Elizabeth Moses) had. I tell you father after I left home the time I had that furlow after I come down here again I often thought of sutch thing hapening in the family. I have often layed in bead and studied thinking if there should sutch a thing happen to eny of the girls. I would hardly know what to do but it is so we will hafto put up with whatever comes but if he dont take her why I would make him pay wel for it and if I live to get home he can look out and watch him or he might get a stick throwed at him the confounded rascal. I would agoodeal if I were at home now. I dont think he is eny better then she is or what is the reason the old folks dont want him. I guess by the time you get this he will be at home and time will show. I done hardly think of it. I dont know what I would do with sutch a person should I meet him. It would almost temt me to fight him and I rather think if they dont get maried he would better stay away from where I am if I ever get to go home. But I hope that thing may all com off right after all. At least I hope it may all come right.

Well I must close. I could write mutch more but space will not per mit and by the time you get through you will get tired but I hop you will Excuse my poor writing and speling and my misstakes. This leaves me in tolerable good health hoping it will find you all well. My love to you all and I hop god will spare us that we may met again shall ever be my wish till death. I still remain your son till death.

father and Mother Brother and sister Jefferson Moses

(post script) I would like to know how tall Addie Ema (sister Addie Emma Moses, age 3) is by this time. Oh I would give 10 dollars just to see her once and have a chat with her. I guess she would hardly know me now. I think I have changed fetures considerable since I left home.