Dec. 25, 1864
My dear Parents,
After waiting long and impatiently for a letter from home - and not receiving one I am forced to write again. I will attempt to give you a little acct. of our campaign from Kingston to Savannah. On the 12th of Nov. we left Kingston for Atlanta – the last car has passed north and we commence doing what an army of such magnitude has not done since the war commenced by entirely destroying our line of communication; large details were made to pull up the RR track and burn it. All the public buildings in and around Kingston were burned. Crossed the Etowah River same day at Cartersville. Weather chilly. Nov. 13th Marched at daylight – passed over the Alatoona Mts. & through the town of Alatoona - Reb wounded still in the hospitals. Arrived at Big Shanty station at dusk. RR destroyed up to this point - weather very chilly – severe frost - last night 14th passed through Marietta – principal buildings burned. Camped 2 miles S. of Chattahoochee River – weather cold – ice along the road. 15th Arrived at Atlanta. Camped for night on Decatur road – clothing issued to the army during night - RR burned to this point. Army in fine spirits. 16th Marched on Decatur road at day light – passed Decatur, small village finely situated. Passed 7 miles south of Stone Mt. – country becoming more open – weather pleasant. 17th (orders to march at daylight every day) – marched on the Augusta road – road passed through Litonia in eastern part of Dekalb Co. passed Conyers fine village plenty forage sweet potatoes, honey, chickens, hogs, etc. etc. weather warm.
18th Marched on Covington Road parallel with R.R. – R.R. entirely burned as we marched – passed through Covington splendid town inhabitants mostly all gone. Crossed Yellow River at West Covington, County seat of Newton Co. 19th Passed through Sandtown – plenty forage but few rations issued – troops confident of their leaders ability to conduct them safely through & to victory. Weather fine.
20th Took my mounted men out foraging. Captured eight fine mules and ten noble horses. Country open and full of provisions.
21st Marched on Milledgeville road & through northern part of Jackson Co. – crossed Yellow river in rain all day – cold - roads muddy.
22nd 3rd Division in advance quite cold last night now in Putnam Co. passed Eatenton co. seat of Put. Contrabands coming in by hundreds. 23rd Marched into Milledgeville at M.. Capital of Ga. Now in Yankee hands. Legislators had barely time to fly from the state house & escape – so rapid & secret were our movements. Milledgeville is a very fine City . Numerous large & highly finished private residences. Gov. Brown’s residence vacated; his pet militias cant be found. Several cords of Confed. Script piled up in Statehouse. Couldn’t furnish transportation to bring it with us. People mostly all hot Rebs.
24th 14th and 20th Corps lay in camp all day in & around the City. 15th and 17th Corps with cavalry make a demonstration on Macon & destroy R.R. Weather cool and pleasant.
25th 14th and 20th Corps march out of Milledgeville – only depot and arsenal destroyed. Crossed the Oconee River east of the city and burned bridge – surface of country covered by swamps and forests of pine. 26th Marched on Sandersville road – arrived at Sandersville 5 PM . County seat of Washington Co. Very productive county – large cotton fields – Reb cavalry in front. Some skirmishing – weather very pleasant.
27th Marched on Louisville road – Crossed the Ogeechee river M.– weather clear and warm. 3rd Div. in front.
28th Marched to Rochamfore Creek by AM – Rebs destroyed the bridge – halted & constructed pontoons – crossed over 3 PM & through Louisville, Co. seat of Jefferson Co. Warm
29th&30th Lay in camp two miles from Louisville. Reb cav. all around our camp. December 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Our Div. and Gen. Kilkpatrick’s Div. of Cav. march on a road to the left by themselves and make a demonstration toward Augusta – traveling in Burk Co. Very fine county – full of forage – continual skirmishing - Rebs on all sides – on 4th Kilkpatrick gave Wheeler a handsome whipping and drove him 8 miles.
5th Marched all day – 20 miles – through one immense pine forest and sand beds. 6th Within 4 miles of Savannah River. Passed Jackson AM.
Negros organized into pioneers for Div. Country very swampy. Land covered by forests of Pine & jack oak – soil pine sand.
7th Marched through a wilderness of pine, sand, canebrakes and swamps. Direction parallel with Savannah river. Wheeler in our rear with his cavalry – heavy skirmishing.
8th Camped ½ mile from river – saw Reb gunboat – shelled us – no damage done. Weather very hot. Fort (???) near camp also an old church built in 1769 and used by Washington as a hospital. Heavy cannonading by fleet south of Savannah – are now in Screven County.
9th through 19th Lines being formed around Savannah and Corps taking their positions as assigned them. Continual skirmishing – occasionally severe cannonading by the fleet and some charges on forts with hand fighting – all passed quite well. Weather hot and dry. 20th Rebs evacuated Savannah last night. Union forces take possession of city this AM. All heavy guns left in forts – large amounts of stores and ammunition captured – city uninjured. Thus the campaign gloriously ends and the army is in better campaigning condition than when it left Atlanta. It is estimated that the Rebs left at least 100 guns of heavy caliber in and around the city. Boats are daily landing at the wharf from N.Y.
Well, I have at last succeeded in obtaining Gen. Baind’s permission to be relieved from duty at headquarters and so soon as I can turn over property for which I am responsible I will again be with the 92nd OVI. I recd a few days since by mail two pairs of stockings – good nice ones just what I wanted and much needed. Good stockings are a great comfort. When they arrived I was wearing my last pair & they much worn. We are now in and around Savannah enjoying a short rest but from appearances will in the course of ten or fifteen days be on another campaign. I think we will soon be marching on S.C. soil. My health is first rate.
Well I have received my commission as Captain in the 92nd O.V.I. and have been assigned to the command of Co. A. Yes I may now say I am Captain Putnam from Hickory Glade. Pray God that I may discharge my duties honorably and faithfully. Hereafter direct my letters to Co. A, 92nd O.V.I.
Give much love to Brother and Sisters
Very Affectionately your son
David Putnam
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