The following letter was written to Irene Matthews by George Murdock, of Co. B (I think). Irene later married Lyman Root of Co. B. Her great-granddaughter, Linda Doyle Genek, kindly supplied the letter. (Italics were added)

Camp near Atlanta, Georgia

Aug. 21, 1864

Friend Irene,

I received a letter from you last evening, dated August 10th. You seemed to be somewhat anxious about Albert. (Albert Matthews, Irene's brother) It was a mistake in the paper about him being wounded. Sergeant Knight was wounded the next day and they have got it mixed up somehow. I don't know where Albert is I have not heard from him since he left the division hospital. Hope he is doing well and I wish he would never try to return to the regiment again. We were without mail for six days until last night it made an appearance but not very big. Have some rain about every day now. It is raining at the present time and I can not write on my desk for it is partly outdoors and partly under cover. Have not written a letter home for a week. The mail would not go out either. Heard the railroad track had been torn up. The boys are groweling a little about the rations. We do not get any too much but if we never get any less we will do. Our men keep up a continual cannoning and once in a while the Rebs throw a shell. The Rebs seem to stay in Atlanta a little longer than some places they have left. Maybe we will get them out after while. I see a fellow in Company G that was on some general's staff has been sent back to his company and he has been fighting with some one and has got his face all cut up. I have not written any for some time and it is the hardest work I ever made an attempt to do. You asked about John Moffett. He is with the company and is officer's cook. Guess he likes his place very well and gets good victuals. Bob (Emerson ?) Opdyke is in the First Brigade now as chief commander. You will notice my paper has got wet while I was writing. We expected to have preaching today but it is too rainy for it now. We have got a nice place fixed out of pines for the chaplin to preach in. We heard great excitement is up there about the draft coming off. Some say the men are going build breastworks ( very hard to make out ) and will not come. This is a poor way to end this war, I think. Hope may not amount to anything. Everyone ought to come that can. We have had one inspection this forenoon and are to have another at 4 P.M. Keith Laughlin is over here from the 29th. (Ohio) He says the boys are all well over that way. The thirds time has been out for sometime and they will not let them go home. Their colonel is mean or he would have let them go. He does not want to go himself and will not try to get his men off. (something ) are scarce and time short just now so will close.

George

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