150 Voices for 150 Years: An Autobiography of Us On this day 150 years ago, Thomas M. Coleman of the 6th Missouri Veteran Volunteer Infantry was in camp with Union troops just south of Atlanta. In a letter to his sister, he recounts the fighting he and his comrades engaged in against Confederate forces desperate to defend Atlanta. Camp South of Atlanta, Ga. July 29, 64 Dear Sister, I take the present opportunity to let you know that I am well at present, and hoping that these few lines may find you all enjoying the same blessing of life. We have some hard fighting. The 22 of this month the rebs made an attack on our left wing, and got repulsed, and then they tried us a whit. There were three regiments sent out of our Brigade, and sent to reinforce the left wing, and they drove our men out of the works. We were ordered back again at a double-quick. We double-quicked three miles and charged on and re-took our works back again from them. We lost a good many men, and of our division. We went in with our knapsacks and all on. They took 6 pieces of artillery from us. We re-took 6 back again. When our old general saw us coming, some of the staff says that he cried. The whole Division let up the yell that the 6 and 116 Ill. is coming. They were all formed when we came in sight. We never stopped, but broke through the lines with a yell to follow us. They set up the yell and started for the works. The rebs that was in the inside of the work were all taken or killed. They were firing two of our pieces on us, but the tide soon turned, for it wasnt long until the boys were at the guns, and we turned them on the rebs again. We soon put them. The captain of Company H Battery was so glad that he got his old guns back, that one of them was sprung and they bursted it. Yesterday the rebs made another attack on us. We soon put them back again. They came out in five lines of battle. They came within 25 yards of the works. They were thick around our works. They tried it five times, but with no better success. There were five colonels laying in a row. The boys took deliberate aim and nearly every shot fetched a man. on the 22 of this month their loss was estimated 15,000. Some of them say that was a bad day for their cause. I think their loss will reach five or six thousand, whilst our loss is very small. We are looking for them once again, but they find that they cant whip the army of the Tennessee, for we will fight them any day, and they may storm our works as much as they please. I must soon stop, for we are going to strengthen our works. Give my love to all of them at home, and write soon. We are working and fighting all the time. Nothing more but remain your brother, Thomas M. Coleman Though much of a Civil War soldiers time was spent waiting for the next battle, Thomas Colemans letter reveals in detail the frenetic pace of battle when it occurs. Though we do not know Thomass fate, his unit went on to participate in Shermans March to the Sea. #150VoicesofUS #HashtagHistory
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 10:00:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015