September 4th, 1864 - Lovejoy Station, Ga

September 4th, 1864 - Lovejoy Station, Ga

It is now just sunset & all about camp is more quiet than usual. It may be that others like myself are thinking of home & its past & anticipated pleasures. For these we all sigh & hope they will soon return again but alas! how many homes have been bereft of dear ones who will never return again & how sad will be the weary war worn soldiers disappointment upon returning home for his eager gaze to be met by the marble monument instead of the living form of his dearest earthly love. This will be the mournful fate of many. Such thoughts pain the mind and grieve the heart so I will no further review these gloomy reflections with you. My trust is in Him who is all mercy & power for your protection & mine until the present bloody strife shall end & are granted the blessing of again living together. The enemy as you have learned before now have retired to or towards Atlanta & our troops are resting quietly in camp. How long they will be allowed so to remain is quite uncertain. We moved our hospital camp this morning & since then have been fixing it up. That is putting up tents, clearing off ground & making little scaffolds for beds, &c, &c. Tomorrow all of our ambulances go to the enemy's lines to bring out the citizens of that city to go either north or south, giving them their choice. The most of them will come south. Some will possibly go north. It is hard but we are compelled to submit to it. I forgot to say that Sherman & Hood had agreed upon an armistice for ten days for the removal of the citizens from Atlanta. I expect to take charge of the Hospital in Ala. It is not certain that I can get the position but I suppose I can. We are all waiting & looking with great anxiety for the result of the Northern Presidential election. If Lincoln be re-elected, we may all, every abled bodied man, prepare for an unending strife & shoulder at once our musket or rifle. By this course both North & South will be effectually be ruined. We cannot stop the contest until the North are ready. We are fighting for our existence. They for conquest. We may be ruined but never subjugated. If McClellan be elected I think the war will end though even that is not certain. It becomes us all to look to & call upon the Great Power for help. I have had no letter from you since the one by Frank Robinson. I am expecting another every day. Our mails have been considerably thrown out of order since the fall of Atlanta, but it is expected to be righted in a day or two. If I could be assured that you & the others of the family had good health & plenty to eat, I would be comparatively satisfied. I am thankful that your prospects for provisions are as good as they are. I am getting on smoothly, but my heart knows many a trouble. Oh! how long before we shall have peace again. My prayer is that it may speedily come. How did Mat Oliver like to turn out with the militia? Won't he miss his coffee. I hope they will not be kept out long. Always give me the general news of the country when you write, if everything is fine, if the enemy are expected, who has died or married, &c, &c. It is bright & beautiful but it does not bring light & joy to the heart. We all look forward however to a day when rest from war and the sweet smiles of loved ones at home will make us happy again.

William B. Wall