Decatur 1864

     Georgia Sept 16th 1864
		Dear Parents
I now take the oportunity
of informing you of my
health and prosperity.
I am as well as I ever
was in my life. and
hope these lines will
find you enjoying the
same health. I do not
hear from Home oftener
than once a month
write oftener if you posibly
can and I will do the same
we were offered a chance
to Vetran and come home
this month and I struck
down my name but now
they have made up their
minds that they dont
want us and wont

let us come Home
this month so we are
free from our promise
now I shant vetran on
any acount I have not
quite one year to serve
and if I get through my
other safe I shall return
to roam no more.
we have drove the rebs
in every engagement. since
we started on this campain
and that is doing better
than Grant can boast
of. Sherman is a great
General and is loved
by all his troops. I was
through Atlanta
last Sunday and it 
has been a verry lovely
city but it is verry
badly torn up with
shell. the people all

had to dig holes to
    hide in or run a
fearful risk of losing
thier lives I saw
Edward Mccarn about
one week ago he is well
Arnold and Warren are
both well the health
of the troops are in
the best condition
now that they have been
since we started on
this Campain and
they are in the best of
spirits the rebs
are now at Macon one
hundred miles from
here we are still in
camp and are likely 
to remain here for
some time when I last
wrote to you we were
here and I told you then

     that we was likely
to get up and leave at
any minute and I tell
you so now but it dont
look like leaving at
present and I guess we
wont at least I hope not
tell Fanny and Wilts to be
good children and write to
me as often as they 
can and I will answer
them always send me
Postage stamps or I shall 
have to stop writing to you
entirely for the want
of them as they are not
to be got here at any [illegible]
[illegible] [are you?] drafted, good [bie?]
I am now as ever your
true and loving son Israel
G Atkins |  write soon
		H A A & H V A

[Penciled in at top of Scan 5] 

9-16-64 X

[End]

[Written sideways on left side of Scan 5]

Soldiers Letter

[End]

H A At[illegible, paper torn]
Locke
[Penciled in] [--94] Ingham Co
Mich