Bassett-Edgecomb-Snyder Archives home

About Samuel H. Bassitt Civil War Letters

[previous letter]

Original letter: page 1  page 2

                                Camp of 27th Ohio Vet. Vol. Inftry
                                Savana, Georgia
                                December the 23rd, 1864

Respective Father & Mother

Time has once more placed an oportunity of which i am engaged in writing you a few lines to let you know that i still remain well and hearty and sincearly hope and trust that those few unworthy lines may chance to find you the same. I received a letter from you about one weak ago dated the 9th of Nov. We then started off on a raid to the altamana river which is 50 miles from here. Well Father we have had conciderable of a time since i wrote to you last we have traveled some 485 miles and we have tore up 250 miles of railroads and we have also had some Pretty hard fighting to do We have had hard times on this campaign the boys come pretty near starving to death the was for 10 days i never saw a mowfull of rations only what we could forage out of the country the was one time we had one pint of rice issued to us for 3 days rations and another time the was one ear and a half of corn issued for three days i saw some of the boys give five dollars for five ears of corn and another fellow give fifteen dollars for three crackkers. So you can judge what times we have had while we was acoming through we just had all of the sweet potatoes and freash meat that we could eat but as soon as we struck Savana everything got foraged on in a little bit then we could not get anything till communications was opened and then we took fort Mccalister which is on the Ogeechee river and get communications we captured all of the guns and men that was in the fort. Savana has fallen into the hands of the fedral Soldiers and the stars and stripes now floats on the sea coast. The Rebs evacuated Savana on the evening of the 20 of December. They left all of their artillery and got out the best way they could. It is reported that they left one thousand pieces of Artillery. But they were all spiked. The boys all remain well and hearty. You may think Strange but it is as warm here now as it is up north in the summer time and we have marched 25 and 30 miles a day and carriad a big Knapsack. If a fellow wants to learn to soldier let him come down here and join Uncle Billy Sherman band.

Well, Father, about that Discharge. Do the best you can and hurry up.

1st Lt. William L. Watt has resined and went home he command our company. We have no company commanders now only an Ordely Sergt he commands our company and Capt. Morgan commands our regt.

Father, i want you to send me some Postage Stamps.

I remain your affectionate Son

                                Samuel Bassitt
                                Direct
                                Company B, 27, O.V.V.I
                                Savanah Georgia
[Over]

Write soon and tell the rest to write if they want to. It has been so long since i recieved any letters from friends at home i begin to think that they dont care anything about me, but if they dont whant to write i will lay up my pen and quit. Good by

[next letter]

[Transcripts from Civil War Letters binder in Allen County (Ohio) Museum library, c. 1975]
[Original letters in the Allen County (Ohio) Museum archives]