1864 CIVIL WAR Soldier Letter - KINGSTON GA - 6th INDIANA CAV - SUPERB CONTENT!

Description

Civil War soldier's letter, 4 pgs., approx. 5" X 8", datelined
Camp near Kingston, Ga., Friday, May 27th, 1864
, from Jo (Joseph) Lane, Co. K,
6th Indiana Cavalry
, to his father.
Superb content
, writing of their fighting through Georgia, of men in his Co. being killed and wounded at Tunnel Hill and Resaca. He writes of the people in Ga. thinking that the Yankees are devils and have horns, and much more.
Includes:
"There is some hundred and twenty of us at this place trying to recruit our horses, they having played out. They have had a hard time of it. We made forced marches from Kentucky to Ga. and then as soon as we got to Tunnel Hill, right into a fight the next day & have been on the move every day since. The other day, Stoneman's Cav. charged the rebs about 5 miles on the left wing. It told heavy on their horses. Lots of them run until they dropped dead. It is heavy on the men as well as horses, but the health of the boys are generally good, except it makes them feel a little old and stiff. My health is first rate and is all the Eugene Boys.
We lost 2 killed at Tunnel Hill in our Co. They are from Perrysville. At Resaca we had 2 wounded in our Co. John Elliot is one of them. He was shot through the calf of the leg. It is a severe but not dangerous wound. The same shot went through his horse and killed him. John Manges had his horse shot from under him and also Billy Dickens.
The front was yesterday about 15 miles south of this place. We could hear cannonading plainly day before yesterday. I suppose they will make a stand at Altoona mountains. If not, they will fall back to Atlanta. But they cannot hold it, for it is said that the nature of the country is such that they cannot gain much advantage by position, it being level country. When we whip them out of that, which we will, we will be right in the heart of the rebellion.
As the rebel army falls back, the most of the citizens pack their duds and go with them, leaving us in undisputed possession. There is some very ignorant people down here. The rebels have told the women and children all kinds of stories about us, until many of them actually believe that we were a different race of animals entirely from them (which thank God is the fact in some respects), but many believed we had horns on our heads and were the very devils generally; that we would burn everything and murder the women and children. Those that did remain were greatly surprised to find us much finer looking men and more neat & clean in every respect
[than]
they were.
This war is a God send in many parts of this country. Civilization & enlightenment will date its advent in many parts with the advance of our armies.
The last news we had from Grant's army were favorable, but news are a week old when they get to us. If he succeeds there and we will with Johnston's army here, the rebellion is virtually gone up the spout. And then I think by next Christmas that the brave boys that are left can take dinner with their friends, crack butternuts at their leisure, or when fancy prompts, and prudence dictates, & spark the gals at pleasure without fear of copperhead rivalry.
I will close for the present, hoping you will answer soon....
Yours affectionately,
Jo Lane
P.S.
Direct your letters to Dalton, Ga., Co. K, 6th Ind. Cav., Biddle's Brigade."
Some staining, neat repair of small paper loss at top right corner, archival repair of fold separations.
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