Camp of 5^th Ohio

Bridgeport Alabama

Jany 17^th /64

 

My Dear Sister

                        I received your kind and interesting letter and although it had attained a considerable age, it was still most welcome. I would have answered it directly, but having sent a note to Mr Preston and one to John, I thought they would answer every purpose at that time, and that I could communicate more at length when I should have leisure. but it seems they did not reach their destination in time. I cannot account for the great irregularity of the mail in these parts, but certain I am there can be no certainty placed on the transmission of any matter entrusted to it.

 

            After the greater part of our Division had enlisted as veterans, the remnant of / it was marched to this place from its old camp near Lookout M^t. there remains but three Rg^t in the Divis that have not reenlisted, and one of these three is ineligible not having been in the service long enough.

 

            Our Rg^t is now doing duty here but I think we will soon move farther to rear to take the place of some of the Rg^ts who are going home. This Bridgeport is only a landing on the river and has been and is now a place of considerable importance it being the point where the R.R. crosses the Tennessee, and before the bridge was built it was the terminus of the road, and the place where the Army supplies were transferred to steamboats which transported them to the landings at Chattanooga and vicinity. had it not been for the opening of the river by Hooker the Army of the Cumberland would have been compelled to fall back as the roads were in such condition as to render almost impossible the transportation required over them. / Now, after four or five months labor, the bridge over the river, and the others between here and Chattanooga are completed, and a few days ago the first train ran through from Nashville.

 

            There are now four boats running between here and Chattanooga, and more are being built here. this part of the river may be called the Upper Tennessee, as the navigation of it terminates and that of the lower river begins at Florence Ala, some distance below here. at that place, there is shoals in the stream which prevent boats from the lower river coming farther, and this is the reason why we are building boats here. the machinery comes by rail from the north, the mechanics are taken out of the army, and the timber out of the woods. All these are collected on the bank of the stream, and then commences the operations which bring forth in a few days and as if by magic, a steamboat. And what was a short time ago a pile of logs and iron, now drops down to the landing, as gracefully as a thing of life / takes a tremendous load of "hard tack" &c turns her head toward the mountains, and away she goes puffing and plowing up stream in a very admirable way. The Army is faring better now than they have done this campaign, as most of their wants can now be supplied with the increased means of forwarding supplies. While we were at the front we never received more that ½ rations and often ¼ marching rations (i.e. pork, crackers, and coffee) and I have good reason to believe that the other parts of the army fared no better than ours did. And all the time the men were working hard, and had but very little shelter and clothing. it would be a long story to tell how necessity became the mother of numerous inventions. as to the best means of satisfying an empty stomach on half allowance—. and what marvelous progress was made toward the consummation so devoutly wished

 

            a great number of refugees are coming in from the country around Knoxville, who are on their way north. they tell of hardship and suffering. Many of them appear to have been well off and have the manners of gentlefolk gentry

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