Camp in the Mid Tenn.
July 5th 1863
Dear Companion
I received your letter of the 26th yesterday and supposing no doubt that you are anxious to hear from me I hastily drop these few lines to let you know that I am safe and in excellent health, notwithstanding I have endured more hardships and exposures since we left Murfreesboro than I ever did before. It has been raining almost every day since we started and consequently we have to march through rain and mud and often lie down at night wet and weary in the mud and sleep while rain is pelting upon us and pickets are skirmishing nearby. But I scarcely ever hear a murmur. Our minds are set on conquest and victory and we care for nothing that is in our way. But I cannot give you a minute account of events at present as I have not time. And I suppose the papers will keep you well informed of all that we are doing.
Write soon.
Direct to Murfreesboro.
When I wrote to you last we were at Manchester. We left there the next day through a drenching rain. We moved towards Tullahoma where done some skirmishing near two days when we succeeded in routing the Rebs, capturing a large number of prisoner and a great amount of Commissary stores such as meal corn, wheat, beans and peas. It appears that we took them entirely by surprise – so much so that they could not get their stores away before we were on them and they had to destroy and leave nearly all they had. I saw some large quantities of Meal and shot and shell that they had thrown into a mud hole. We came very nigh surrounding their force before they got out and it was by severe fighting that they got out and our loss was severe. We had another sharp engagement at the bridge 6 miles further on but the Rebs succeeded in destroying the bridge which has retarded our advance. We are now across Elk River 10 Miles from Tullahoma. The Rebs are running. No more.
Yours,
Jacob Shively.
A Thousand Thunders 