150 Voices for 150 Years: An Autobiography of Us Today we share with you a letter transcribed by our friends at the Atlanta History Center. Colin Dunlop fought with a Confederate unit (though were not sure which) near Atlanta in the summer of 1864. In a letter to his sister, he exchanges the usual pleasantries regarding who has written and who has not, but he also gives us some insight into the increasingly desperate situation of Atlanta and the Confederacy. Camp near Dalton, 13th April 1864 My dear Sister, I received a letter from you yesterday dated 4th April for which I return you many thanks. You mentioned that you had written to me twice before, one of the letters I got a few days after I received one from Father and Jamie the other letter enclosing one from Mr. Mallet I have not received. I was truly sorry to learn that Miss Annie was sick but trust she is now better give my kind love and regards to her when you see her. Thank Jamie for his letter. I will answer it shortly. I answered his first. We have had very bad weather for this last two weeks. My health is tolerable, not nearly so good as it was the first three weeks of my return: My old complaint has returned. I have applied for a forty eight hour permit to visit Atlanta and it is very likely I shall get it, perhaps the change will do me good....I have no news, the Newspapers have stopted in Atlanta on account of a strike for higher wages. We have a thousand and one reports in Camp, some say we will go to Virginia others say to West Point, Ga. Furloughs for this side of Miss. River have been stopted except one in twenty five, we drew for one a few days ago. I did not get it....I must now close with kind love and regards to our Brothers & Sisters. Believe me to remain your affecte Brother Colin Dunlop Colin did not get to enjoy any time in Atlanta. His next letter, written several days later, stated that the situation had grown more dire as Atlantans took to hiding in caves to evade Union shells. He also noted that his company had dwindled from 43 to just 18 men in three months. #150VoicesofUs #HashtagHistory
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 10:00:01 +0000
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