Pioneer Corps 3rd Div 15th A.C 
     Cartersville Ga, July 26th 1864 
 
I Employ a few leisure moments 
to day in writing you a Short Epistle 
in answer to your letter dated July 
17th & 18th and mailed at Lacrosse the 
18th I was verry glad to hear that you 
was well as you had wrote a time 
or two before that you had been some 
what ailing your last letter come 
through mutch quicker than any  
letter I have rec'd from you for a long 
time my health is about the same as 
when I last wrote you last: the 
wether is quite pleasent at present the 
days are not so warm as in June 
and the nights are cool enough 
to sleep under two blankets 
we are yet at Cartersville and will 
probably remain here for sometime 
we have not had mutch to do since 
we came here and in fact I would 
not do mutch if we had; there has 
been some verry heavy fighting at 
Atlanta a few days ago with heavy 
loss [crossed out word] on both sides among the Killed 
was Major General McFerson one of the 
ablest Generals in our army we have 
been under him nearly two years 
and his loss is mutch Regretted by all 
the Troops of his command he comman 
ed the army of the Tennessee which 
consisted of the 15th, 16th and 17th army Corps 
we dont hear any peticulars from the 
front it is generally believed that 
our forces hold Atlanta for there was 
heavy fighting all round it and we 
could verry distinctly hear the 
canonading here on friday saturday 
and sunday I am verry anxious to 
hear from the front and hear 
from Will as I have not heard  
from him for sometime
 I Supose you rec'd the money 
   I Sent you in your letter of the 6th 
you said it was at viroqua but in 
your last letter you did not say any 
thing about it: you say that Elias  
Rogers Says that the war will last seven 
years; as to prophesying as to the duration 
of the war I never pretended to Know 
neither do I think that Elias Knows 
any more than I do; One thing I am 
confident of: and that is it cannot 
last four years longer from the fact 
that neither side will be able in  
money and men to carry it on So 
long; for both sides are now rapidly 
becoming Bankrupt; I notice in the 
last two papers we rec'd that there were 
some men at Niagra falls in Canada 
purporting to be Rebel commissioners 
and [crossed out word] wishing to come to Washington 
to negotiate for terms of peace; but 
I think it is only a Sham arrangement 
between the copperheads and Rebels 
to make a show for peace for the 
Sake of trying to defeat the union 
[crossed out] [party] or national party at the November 
Election: that is my opinion at present 
but it is to be hoped that a better design 
is at the bottom of it. 
   Since writing the above a Train of 
cars come in from the front with  
some Rebel Prisoners; the men on on  
the Cars say our forces are not 
yet in possession of Atlanta but are 
nearly all round it: I Rec'd a letter 
from Mother and Elisabeth a few days 
ago the folks were as well as usual: 
There is no other news of importance 
to write of present. You must be 
good children and dont cry nor play 
in the dirt. I Remain as Ever 
    Your Soger Boy 
T. Jefferson Davis 
 
     L, Mary Davis