Near Atlanta GA
August the 7 /64
Dear Charlotte
This is a beautiful Sabbath morning and I will try and write a fiew lines to you in answer to yours of July 30rd which I receive yesterday. It found me well. I am verry lonesome to day. We are in a lonesome place. In our rear is a field coverd with scrub oak and to the right and left is a line of entrenchments filled with men and in front is a peice of woods and the pickets ceep up a continuel cracking all the while. I am so sick of hearing it I dont know what to do. If I ever could be away just one weak where I couldent hear musketry and canonading I would like it. I believe it would do me good. They ceep it up day and knight. There is no need of eney picket fireing unless they advance but the rebs fire and of corse our men return the compliment. You dident say eneything about Maties deafness in your last letter but she seams to be sick at hart to. You had better see the doctor and get some medicen for her. I hope she will get over her deafness. It is quite sickly here now. There is four or five in our Co sick. If this campaign lasts much longer the men will all be sick. It wears on men more than eney one would suppose. It requires a strong consitutioned person to stand it. The rebels fight harder than they have on the whole campaign. They are determined to hold Atlanta till the last. General Hooker has left this department. We are all verry sorry. He is a splendid officer. General Williams has command of the corps till farther orders. Some think Slocomb is coming to take command of our corps again. You say your haying is done. I am glad it is done. Hay is verry high. I heard yesterday that they was going to pay us before long. I hope they will but I am afraid they wont. If you cant do eney better you had better sell your hay. It may not be as high next winter as it is now. I believe every thing is coming down before long. The prices are to high. If gold comes down every thing else will. If they dont I dont know what poor folks will do. You must try and get some fish if the children like them so well. Your letters come through quick now. I guess I get them all. Write often as you can. You do verry well. I must close for this time. Good buy dear Charlotte.
Charles Engle