Bridgeport Ala           

Jany 4^th 1865

 

Col. J. C. Smith

                        Dear Sir, on the 3^rd Inst about 10 oclock, (the writer being forage clerk in the Q.M. Department at this post) there arrived at the platform about 100 soldiers who were either sick or worn out with heavy marching from Nashville to Decatur. They represented many Regiments. Upon their arrival, the soldier about the post hastened in among them to get the news, but more especially to enquire for friends &c. I observed a stout built, rough featured, pleasant old man, about 50 y's of age, engaged in a very animated conversation, with a youth of about 22 or 3, who was intelligent & genteel, & looked as if he had always been well fed; in fact if he were turned out upon this barren land to find his own subsistence, I would expect to find him full & fat where at least three fourths of all others had starved. I paid no attention to what was their theme, until I heard one of them say Jo Davis. Said I "Excuse me gentlemen, Do either of you know Lt Col. J. C. Smith?" "Lord bless your soul" says the old man, "just the man we were speaking of." "We both know him well." Do you know where he is & how he is &c? Yes, bless his soul, he is in Nashville; an he treated us like a gentleman when we got there, an' took us to his own quarters &c &c &c /

 

            Well gentlemen, it is very cold out here, & just over there I have a snug little office with a good stove & fire in it. Will you walk over & sit with me a while. 'Indade I will 'an much obliged 'til ye.

 

Suffice it to say, this incident occurred about the close of the business hours of the day. Being comfortably seated around the stove, we sat until ten oclock & had a really a good time of it, without the punch bowl, but I could not help thinking the little fat man would have enjoyed it very well, & it was rather my opinion the old man would have assented to it too, with a God bless you, yes, a little for this bad cowld I've got.—Well, you now know, I presume, that the old man is none other than the same old gentleman whose soul got too large a few month ago to be confined within his shirt, county, or state. I mean H. Logan 45^th Ill. The young man was—Galvin, of Galena.

 

Dear Col. I can assure you that I was truly delighted to hear from the 96^th and especially that so many of those dear boys, with whom I made so agreeable acquaintance more than a year ago, are yet liveing or was only a few days ago. I hope they yet live. Let's see! There is Dr. Pearce & brother Maj. Hicks, Aj Blodgett & bro. Capt. Vinson & & & oh, I have forgotten 50 names, but they were of the 96^th & thats enough to remember them by. May a kind Protector preserve them all, & may their memory be as deeply engraved in the hearts of their countrymen everywhere, as they are in my own heart. 

 

Having learned that you are now stoping for a time in Nashville I hope this will open a correspondence with each other, that may prove pleasant & profitable to both, in some sense.

 

You will please to say to any of those I have named in this, that I would be happy to correspond with any of them. I would cheerfully answer any enquiries about events in the vicinity of Nickajack Cove. If my time would permit I could write a volume, that would interest those that have seen less than you have, but to you, perhaps nothing very novel. Something relative to my own history would be interesting at any time but the present. Ancient fiction has now become reality doubled. 

 

I have had many sore trials since we parted, but for the last three months I have been somewhat cheered & relieved. As intimated in the outset, I am now clerk in the Forage Office of the Q.M. Dep't of this Post, My wages $60. per month, but still it is exceedingly hard to provide for a large family like mine at such times as we have. I however trust we will get through it somehow. I never could get any correspondence with that brother of mine in Ill. I will in future seek your assistance to find him if I should fail in one more effort.

 

I have nothing more at present but to ask that you give my most cordial greeting to all of the 96^th that remember me. 

 

Address me in the care of

Prof. Wm. M. Guilford, Q.M. Dep't.

Bridgeport Ala.

           

Yours most

Respectfully and Fraternally

J. J. Smith.

 

N.B. Mr Logan requested me to say to you, that if you write home soon, to say to his friends that he left this Post on the 4^th Jany '65 with the sick that droped off from the march at Decatur, that except a little cold & rheumatism & a sore foot he is well, & that he with the other invalids have gone to Chattanooga to rest & recruit their health.

 

The old man thinks he has seen the elephant since he left Nashville. He says his wife / told him when he enlisted, 'Hugh, you'l get a cooling'; In faith, an she was right,—

 

            Col. He is a kind of an odd genius, but somehow I liked the old man, and I do not believe it was all because he was from Jo Davis, though I do confess to a partiality for the good people of that part of your noble state. I hope the old man will turn up all right again soon.

 

I learn that Galvin & his detachment has orders to report with the baggage in their charge, to N. York and that in a few days he will probably leave this place.

                                                                                               

J. J. Smith

SOURCES