Winchester, Tennessee

November 2nd, 1863

Mr. Arthur Johnson,

Dear Cousin, After my very best Love to you, Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson and your Little Offspring, I again take my pen in hand for the fourth time Without and Answer to Let you know that I am Still On the Land amongst the Living. I can again Say I am Well and hope these few Lines may find you all Enjoying [the] Same Blessing. Peter Mann, Frank Trueax, F. W. Asbury, Alexander Curtis and all of Our Bracken Boys are well and Hearty. I have But Little News of Interest at this time. Everything appears quiet Except Occasional Skirmishes in the front and a few Guerilla Bands through Tennessee. We have Been Expecting a heavy Battle for some two Weeks but it seems as if Bragg is inclined to fall Back. It may be his Object is to draw Our Troops away from Chattanooga. I am Not With my Regiment at this time and I have a bad Chance of Gathering Information. I am One of the Guards With the 1st Cav. Division's Ordnance trains and it is here at Winchester, Tenn. Where it may in all probability Remain for Several Weeks. My Regiment and, in fact, My Whole Brigade is Encamped at Jeffers Ferry on the Tennessee River, 2 Miles South of Stevenson, Alabama. I expect to Remain with this train all Winter. It is an Easy position and my fare are good. My quarters are in a neat Little Train House Near the Public Square. I Can See all that is going on in town in the Day time and have as many Yellow girls in my Room at Night as I Wish. But Enough of this.

[page 2] I Will Now give you a Short Sketch of my travels Since I was at your house. When I left home I went by the Way of Cynthaana and Georgetown to Lexington, Ky. I Was then Ordered to Report at Point Pleasant in Virginia. I left Lexington on the 22nd of Last Oct. one year ago and passed through Paris, Millersburg, the Blue Licks, Washington and on to Maysville, Ky. There, I crossed the Ohio River to Aberdeen and passed through Decatur, West Union, Salem, Jackson, Sciotoville, Lucasville, Gallipolis, and up to the River to the mouth of the Big Kanawha River. There, I Crossed the Ohio River into Point Pleasant, Virginia where I joined my Command. We Drove the Enemy through Charleston and Whipped them at Gauley Bridge and Drove them through Ashby's Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We then Received Orders to Report at a point near Vicksburg, Mississippi. We Marched Back to Point Pleasant and there took Steam Boats to Cincinnati, Ohio. The Infantry went to Mississippi and Our Cavalry Was Ordered to Report at Lexington, Ky. We Bid adieu to the Queen City of the West and passed through Covington, Williamstown, Georgetown, and On to Lexington Where We Only Remained two Days to Rest from a Long and toilsome march of over 100 miles. We left Lexington, Ky., the Garden spot of the World with Heavy hearts and marched through Nicholasville, Perryville, Lebanon, Danville, Bloomfield, Springfield and on to Louisville, Ky. We Only Remained there a Day or two to Rest Our Jaded horses. There, we took the Cars and passed through many towns and Villages and though the Green River Country to Nashville, Tennessee, the Capitol of

[page 3]:the State. We traversed the State all Over and Over and Camped for a few Days at Brentwood, Franklin, Springhill, Shelbyville, Tullahoma, Triune, Murfreesboro, Winchester, Fayetteville and many other towns. After we had scourged Tennessee well we then marched all of Our Cavalry forces into Alabama. Our first trip was to take Huntsville, Ala., one of the finest towns I have Seen in Ala. We then took Stevenson and Bridgeport and many Other Little towns. The Enemy still held Chattanooga- it is Situated on the Tennessee River about 2 ½ miles from The Georgia State Line. Our next move was to take Chattanooga which we Done easily. We then made a Dashing Raid through Georgia tearing up the Railroad track, Burning Bridges and Depots and Cutting up hell in General. And, Oh God, Oh God, the Scenes I have witnessed. I have witnessed Some Dark and horrible Scenes Such as has made my Blood Run Cold. I have Seen men hung Like Dogs in Cold Blood. I have Seen men Shot Down Like Brutes in Cold Blood. I have Seen the flaming innumerable Scenes of Disgust. I have Seen the Rich made poor in a few Short hours. I have Seen Enough of the Horrors of War to Satisfy me and to Satisfy my mind that a Civil War Will Ruin any Nation under the Canopy of Heaven. It will Ruin all Classes of mankind. The Whole World is Demoralized at this time and I have underwent all the hardships, Perils and privations that Belongs to a Soldiers Life. I have went through frost and snow, through Rain and mud as well as the scorching heat and bore it all

[page 4] as becomes a soldier. I have Nine Battles Besides a Number of Skirmishes and by the help of God am yet spared to tell the memorable tale of this Campaign. I have also Witnessed thousands and thousands of Most Beautiful Sceneries, both Natural and Strange, and was well Calculated to Interest the Weary Soldier as he passes by. But the most Horrible Sight is the Battlefield yet. If you Could have Been present and of looked Over the Battlefield after the Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia and of Seen the Thousands upon thousands of Dead, Dying, and mangled Masses of Human Souls weltering in their Blood it would of Chilled Every Drop of Blood in your Veins. The Whole face of memorable Battle By the Enemies fatal Ball and their Bones are left to Bleach upon the Georgia Plains. I am very Sorry to Inform you that Our Dead were Not Buried. the Enemy took the field and held it. Our loss is Estimated at fifteen thousand and the Enemies at twenty-eight thousand--a Large Number of Souls to fall in One Battle and yet the War is Not at a Close. Well Arthur, I Shall have to Close for this time. Give my Love to all of the friends and Relations and Answer Immediately. Direct your Letter to Winchester, Tennessee in the Care of Capt. Wilson, A. Q.M., 1st Cav. Division and believe me to be Your Ever affectionate Cousin till Death,

Ewd. Summers

Please Send me a few Postage Stamps. I can't get them here.