John Stover to Jacob Stover, December 5, 1862 letter

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Behind the works, near Nashville [Tennessee]
Dec  5th /64 [December 5th, 1864]

Jacob Dear Brother.  I take pen in
hand to give you a short history of 
the last week or so.  We left Pulaski [Tennessee] quite
sudden and made a force march to
Columbia, Tenn [Tennessee] and then the advance
of [Confederate General John Bell] Hood�s Army got there almost
as quick as we did.  We soon formed 
our lines and in a short time had
tolerable good [defensive] works.  Hood moved up 
and formed his lines and in the 
morning just before day they attacked
us, but only came close enough to see
that we was [sic] ready for him.  Our regiment [49th OVI]
was on picket.  The pickets fought and
fell back slowly.  Our pickets were
reenforced [sic] and they held them from
coming any further and drove their skir-
mishers back.  Some pitts [sic] were dug
and the lines remained so for too [two] days,
skirmishing all of the time, like in 
front of Atlanta [Georgia] on the night of the 27th
#reference atlanta in metadata; 49th at atlanta, ga in may 1864
We fell back across the river.
Morning found us all across and


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then we formed line and made marks
and lay there till [sic] morning.  All of this
time the 23rd Corps was fighting with
them at the [river] fords.  In the afternoon we
moved about one mile and made
works again.  And in the evening some
of them got across in front of the 23rd
Corps and they had a hard fight for a 
short time.  Old Schofield was in
command and such a time I never saw
before in my life.  The Rebs only engaged
us with part of his force at Columbia
and crossed the river above.  And
so after
dark we commenced to retreat toward 
Franklin [Tennessee] and when we got to Spring Hill
2 miles from Columbia the Rebs were
in a line of battle there across the 
pike.  The 2nd Division was ahead of ours
and they had a pretty hard fight. The 23rd 
Corps was ahead also.  They and the 2nd Division
charged them and broke there [their] line
and drove them off on both sides of the
road and marched on for Franklin.
And so the Rebs were on both sides
of the road fireing [sic] onto our men
as we marched along.  We had an awful 
large wagon train and you know how
they would fly around

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when the bullets are a flying [sic] amongst
them.  We marched all night and about
daylight they attacked in a number
of places along the train.  Such a flying
around I never saw.  They made the riffle
in capturing about 100 wagons where
some of our cavalry was a guarding [sic].
Our brigade was marching along by the 
side of a train and a battery and the Rebs
made a charge for the train but they got
in to the wrong place.  Our brigade halted, fronted and the battery likewise and if
the Rebs dident [sic] get up and climb,
I am a liar and so it went till [sic]
we got to Franklin and there the 2 Div [2nd Division]
and 23rd Corps built works and our
division crossed the river.  The Rebs got
ready and made a charge and I
guess that they got enough of chargeing [sic]
works.  I suppose that you have heard of
#the fight long ago.  We captured about 700 prisoners out of Claybourne�s Division
and Claybourne was killed.  They are
a good many conscripts in the 2 [2nd] Division.
They run [ran], some of them.  As soon as the 
fight was over, we commenced retreating again, they following up

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closely.  I must hurry.  We came from
Columbia to Nashville the distance of 
45 miles without any sleep or rest.
I was nearly gone up.  I did not care
much whether I got killed or not.
We have our lines formed and works 
built.  The Rubs moved up on us
and fortified also.  It just goes like it did in front of Atlanta.  We have got
enough of force [sic] here to whip old Hood
in an open field fight if they 
# were old troops.  A.J. Smith is here 
with a force.
We have plenty of artillery and they shell
the Rebs from morning til night.
I must close but I can�t forget Schofield[�s] 
retreat. Everything going pell mell. 
I received your letter with the fine
comb. Was I glad to get it.  Would like to
write more but can�t.  I got hurt some
by a log but I hope that you are in
good health.  Reply soon.  Give all
particulars.  John H. Stover to
Jacob N. Stover
Good Day