The following letter was written by a member of Co. B, 4th Georgia State Militia (GaSM) with the initials “J. W. G.” and addressed to his father, “W. W. G.” It was datelined from Savannah, Georgia, in mid-December 1864 where the regiment had fallen back, having spent the previous weeks attempting to hold back Sherman’s relentless march to the sea.

According to campaign records, the 4th GaSM was indeed in the 2nd Brigade, commanded by Brig. Gen. Pleasant J. Phillips. The 4th GaSM was commanded by Col. James Mann. The 4th GaSM served from 1 March 1864 through 26 April 1865.

There is a chance that each side of the sheet was written by a different member of the regiment who served from the same community. Unfortunately I could not find a roster for Co. B of this regiment to enable me to determine the author’s identity.

Transcription

Savannah [Georgia]
Co. B, 4th Regiment, 2nd Brigade

Pa,

Our regiment has got to go on picket tonight. The pickets is almost 2 hundred yards apart. Pa, Joe is writing and he says tell all of his folks he is well and wants to hear from them. He is well and fat. Pa, Sherman’s army has cut the Charleston railroad and the Central Railroad and the Gulf Railroad. Pa, when you write, write to me how George Walker is getting along with his wound. Pa, when we left Macon, we come to Albany on the train and then we had to [march to] Thomasville 60 miles in 2 days and a half and get on the train and come to Savannah. Pa, I came [with]in 17 miles of Aunt Emily [   ] and heard they was all well. Sis, tell Aunt Jenny that I am [with]in 8 miles of Alf’s house but didn’t hear nothing from them. Pa, tell all enquiring friends I am well and to write to me. Nothing more, — J. W. G.

To W. W. G.

[On reverse side of sheet]

Savannah, Georgia
December 14 [1864]

Dear Father and Mother,

I seat myself this evening to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and [I want] to know how you all are a getting along. I haven’t heard anything since Pa came to see me at Lovejoy. I would like to hear how the Yankees treated you when they came through. Pa, we left Lovejoy one week after you left there and we have been traveling ever since. We come to [   ] in two days and nights and there we got on the train and [    ] and then to Griswoldville and [remainder illegible]