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Bombarding Charleston Harbor, Grant & Lee’s Armies

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Camp three miles beyond the Tenn. River on the State line between Tenn. & Ala. Sept. 2nd, 1863, 4pp, from George A. Wheaton of the Minnesota 2nd Infantry, to his uncle. In full: Yours of the 26th ult. Enclosing U.S. letter postage stamps was duly received for which favor accept my thanks. It was not in immediate need of the stamps but I may find them convenient for future use if we continue to march westward. I rejoice with you at the favorable turn of events in Charleston Harbor. Mr. Beaurregard whom many have boasted of as being the best Engineer in either of the contending armies has been completely out-generaled . Gilmore out-generaled him in getting a foothold on Morris Island and when Beaurregard finds Charleston City can be effectively bombarded from Gilmore’s new positions he is utterly taken by surprise and whines like a whipped school boy. Of course I feel greatly elated of late over the good news from Charleston but I believe the will yet be a protracted siege before we can occupy and possess the center of the city with its numerous harbor defenses. I believe the public mind expect out navy to accomplish impracticable if not impossible things. It will be a great public disappointment if our gallant navy in Charleston harbor does not sail on and over all obstructions in the channels under the converging fire of all the surrounding Rebel fortifications and go right up to the very wharfs of the city without serious trouble. I hope our gallant__ can accomplish all this. I wish them the best of luck but I fear we are educated to expect too much. We anticipate triumph only where ever our navy goes. On Sunday we crossed the Tenn. River (Our div.) at this point and we are now encamped here near the R.R. We hear the Reb’s are going to stand and fight us in their fortified position near Chattanooga. This is good news for us we won’t have to chase them so far as we anticipated. If they continue to stop at Chattanooga "Rosa" will be very apt to out flank the position. "Rosa" is famous for his flanking qualifications. The Rebs may have concentrated an army in our front equal to our own in numbers if so there’ll be a desperate battle for we’re not going back this time. We’ve taken everything clean thus far in our slow but steady advance. You don’t hear of Rebel Guerrillas in our rear now. John Morgan, Dick McCan they are safely caged this time. But we are a long way from Nashville one hundred and fifty to two hundred miles. We have necessarily been obliged to leave a portion of our army behind as we advance at Nashville, Murfreesboro and other points on our line. Burnside is operating with us however in East Tenn. And when the struggle comes if it comes at all our Union Army one hundred thousand strong has to be beaten before we yield territory again. I believe our army is rather under mislead over rated. I believe the army of the Cumberland is the most effective army in the field. The army of the Potomac has lost heavily so has Grants army of the Tennessee but our army is but little impaired by loss in battle and our division especially. I suppose there is not a Division as old as ours in the service which numbers as many effective men for duty today. We’d like to have the army of the Potomac join on our left then wish Meade on our left and United State Grant our right. I think "Rosa" would see the center was all right. Wouldn’t we sweep through the balance of Beaur in a hurry? The army of the Potomac may get Lee out of Va. Yet its possible. I was supposed to hear that Christopher was drafted. You do right to retain him in your employ if he is necessary to your interest. I presume there will be plenty of Veteran Volunteers who will make his place good for the bounty the Government is offering. But we do still need recruits in the field that we may fully benefit by our late success and speedily crush the military vitality of the (so called) Confederate States. It would be a source of additional pleasure if this war would end during my term of service. I hope it will. I begin to be impatient to get out of the army and enter the business world once more. My soldiering service will throw me three years behind in the commercial race for gain but I shall re enter the arena determined to win a competency at least. I’ll have increasing good luck sure for the hardships and positions endured in the rented field. I am at present enjoying good health with the exception of a cold and an accident which occurred to me a day or two since. I had one side of my face all scared up by a collision with an oak tree. I’ve had the whole of one side of my face patched over with coat plaster and every one engineering who thrashed me. This is anything but pleasant I assure you when one’s innocent of having quarreled. Mollie is away from home in charge of a school. Father is also away too building a store in the country. Cyms Aldrich writes me that the Indian war is about ended and that Minn. as a state (but for the late Indian Raid) is prosperous. I have just received the N.Y. Herald of the 26th informing on Charleston matters. I herewith send the weekly Nashville Union to show you the style of print which follows in the wake of the Union army in their advance through___. If our army reaches Atlanta, Ga. I shall inquire for mis day & Hills (ha!). We have remarkable cool nights here. Do not be impatient about the army of the Cumberland we have to bridge the Tenn. River and await Burnside before we give the Rebel army a blow at Chattanooga. We may not move far for two or three weeks. In much regards to all I am your aff. Nephew George A. Wheaton". Great content, light toning, few splits at folds, else fine.

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