Near Marietta GA
June the 26 /64
My Dear Wife
I once more take my pen in hand to write a fiew lines in answer to yours of the 12th. I was verry glad to hear from you once more and that you were well. We are on the same ground we was when I wrote my last letter the 22. I told you in that that I alwais had to write in a hurry. I just got my letter seald and we was orderd to fall in. The rebs massed their troops and charged the first divition a little to our right. They came out of the woods in an open field. They charged acrosed that as bold as lions in another small peice of wood but they couldent get eney farther. Our batteries had a cross fire on them and threw the shot and shell so thick that they went back in a hurry and great disorder and quite a loss. We was where we could see the whole of it. I never see a lot of sheep run as they did and the shell exploding among them. We have got good breastworks and I hope they will be obliged to attact us this time. Skermishes ceep up a good fire day and knight. Last knight they seased fireing for a while and went to blaguarding. We could hear them from our works. Our boys ask them how they liked Hooker. They wanted to know how we liked Johnson. Our boys told them they liked him well he cept retreating all the while. They say we never can take Atlanta. They say they are going to whip us when they get us where they want us. Hookers corps can whip half of this army alone. It has ben verry wet all this month but it is warm and dry now. The sun shines verry warm here in Georgia but we dont feele the heat eney more than we did in Virginia. The knights haint as cold. To day is Sunday. I wish I could be home to day to visit with you and pass one quiet Sabbath. We may lay here a fiew days and we may have to move in ten minuets and the rebs may attacked us before knight and fight a hard battle. So you see we are on the alert all the time. To day is the 56th day of this campaign the longest ever known. We have marched from Stevenson here. If we could marched on the direct road it wouldent ben so verry far but we had to scouer the country and go to diferent points so it made it harder. 15 months from yesterday my time will be out if I have to stay my time out. Time pases away pretty fast. If I have good luck I will be soone be home. I will close by biding you good buy.
Chas Engle
I have got the four stamps you sent. I wish I had something to send Matie but I have not. I am well and hope you all are.
Sunday Afternoone
Near Marietta GA
June the 26 /64
Dear Charlotte
I wrote a letter this forenoone and just sealed it and put on the stamp and the mail came and there was a letter for me. It was written the 16 and 17 and it was mailed the 18th. It came through quick but it brought bad news. You stated in the last letter that Sophia had the quinsy but it seams it is something worse. I am afraid it will kill her. That is a dangerous dissease and when you wrote she was getting worse. I felt verry bad when I read the letter. I never received a letter that made me feele as sad as the one I got to day. I am afraid it will go hard with Sophia but there has ben a change before this. I am afraid the next letter will bring worse news than this. This is a world of trouble and you are in danguer of being killed every day by your ugly cow. You must get rid of her someway. Get someone to shoot her. If you cant do eney better I dont want you to ceep her one day. I dont know but she has killed you before this. You will have to try and get one someway. If you could hire one I believe it would be best. You have bad luck with everything you get. I am sorry you had such bad luck with your pig. I wish I could be home to break your cow. I would tame her or break her neck but I am not there so you mustent ceep her. I shal feele uneasy untill I hear that you have got rid of her. I wish I knew how Sophia is to day. Our folks have more than their share of trouble. Mother will go crazy with trouble yet. I am afraid to read the next letter. I look for one soone for I know you will write often and let me know how Sophia is. You say you havent weaned John D yet. I know it will be an awfull job for you alone but it will be to long to wait till I get home. It will be easier for you after he is weaned. Poor little fellow. How I would like to see him. It is verry warm to day and the glumiest day I have seene in the service. I am afraid something has happend. It seames just so to me. Sophia and you both may be dead for what I know. Hope I will hear from you soone but I am almost afraid to. If these letters go through you will get two at one time and one date. I will close this.
This is from your friend
Chas Engle