Near Fort Morgan Ala

March 18 1865

 

Dear Home,

                        Day before yesterday I dropped a letter to you informing you of our intention of moving soon. I also in that letter sent five dollars for Geo. W. Reed as therein stated. And now as a little leisure occurs I will note what has transpired since forwarding that epistle. Next morning 17^th we were ordered to prepare immediately for leaving Dauphine Island by steamboat "J. H. Grosbeck". so all was astir especially in Q.M.D. where the heaviest work always is when moving. One was sent to draw some meat one or another was sent to turn over a lot of Ordnance Stores. A third was ordered to pack up & box up everything; then some of our stores had to be put in store until at some future day we should call for them, while others to the amount of two wagon-loads were put aboard the steamboat to go with us. This was all accomplished soon after dinner & by middle afternoon our Reg^t & the 99^th Ills were by the "Grosbeck" borne from Dauphine Island. We steamed up the bay about six miles & landed on the opposite side from the Island. Before long all were on land & the line of march began. We followed up the narrow strip of land between Mobile Bay & the Gulf, the same peninsular upon whose point / is Fort Morgan. We plodded along with our heavy loads through the sand slowly, and a little before sun-set, having marched about four miles, went into camp. The rest of the day was spent in building a house for the night, eating supper &c. We retired early having for our house a paulin stretched over poles, for a bed hay on the sand & blankets thereon. Four of us, Commissary & Q.M. Serg^ts Carpenter & myself bunked together in one row, and soon were asleep. Nothing new happened to-day, or came to our notice. We found in our march to-day the same white sand the same dismal pines we had around us on the Island. I saw however a few flowers but left them for future examination. But the day was fine & everybody seemed glad to be enroute for Mobile or any other seaport—more anon.

 

Pine Woods Ala Mar 21^st. Opportunity is afforded again for making a short notice of our travels. March 18^th we remained in our first campment after leaving the Island. I was quite busy all day arranging business papers. March 19^th About 11 p.m. when all of us were well lost in sleep orders came for us to draw three days rations immediately & be ready to march at day break. Consequently we had little or no sleep after that. Mar. 19^th Promptly at day-break we took up the line of march. It was a warm & pleasant day. Our march was through a sandy country whose vegetation was principally pines. One or two houses were passed, where every / thing even to the inhabitants themselves bore striking marks of poverty & wretchedness. The road was fairly strewed with the different habiliments of the soldier, which showed that the boys were casting away their worst worn garments to lighten their load. We marched till late in the p.m. and must have travelled about seventeen miles. Most all the road lied in timbered country so that very little came up to enliven the march. We built our house by stretching a rope between two trees and spreading a paulin over it. The weather was fine & rather warm. March 20^th We took up the march again this morning about 6 a.m. and marched till nearly night. As to what sort of day's travel this was, I know very little. I am told that about five miles of unnecessary travel was made because an inlet of water (from the Gulf I guess) was found to be impassable & consequently we had to take another & very difficult road through swampy ground. We went into camp towards night & formed our shelter as last night. The weather was quite cloudy towards night & eve rainy. This day will always be a blank, & still a memorable spot in my life. It is a blank because the greater part of it passed without my knowledge. I will relate the experience of to-day with me. We had marched I guess about two miles when I experienced a very strange giddy feeling in the head. My sight was confused & blurred. No noticeable pain accompanied these strange & indescribable feelings. I tried to shake off this strangeness by stirring about but to no purpose. Next I thought to get on to my horse I was leading, to see if that would not help me. This determination is the last I remember of the strange feeling. The next time consciousness returned must have been at the least calculation an hour & a half after & to fill up the gap of the day I should think it nearer four hours. When I came to myself I was laying in an ambulance. I felt sick at my stomach & vomited three times profusely. My head ached badly, while my jaws were as sore as if having the mumps. I felt quite weak too. From those in attendance I learned that I dropped flat on the ground beside my horse and acted like a person in the last agonies of death. Medical attendance was obtained and before long I came out of the spasms but consciousness did not return for at least an hour & a half. The Surgeon I guess called it an apoplectic fit and said if I had not go had had a strong constitution would have died. The cause I can not satisfactorily define. I was not very well that day but felt well enough to attend to business. The attack seemed almost as sudden & unexpected as a cholera stroke or the treacherous bullet of the guerrilla. By supper-time I was free from pain & apparently as well as usual but weak as though just recovering from a long illness. Last night I slept finely & to-day have felt well but weak. The whole affair was very strange, because I was apparently so well. Our doctor thinks it was caused by my blood rushing to the head. To you it is a solemn warning lest I may be as suddenly attacked again, & be taken away; & teaches us all, to be prepared for such sudden changes. Let us all then determine from henceforth to live near God & confide our all to his care. Life at most is but a span & if we can only be travellers to a better home it matters little whether we go sooner or later. I hope by this morning to be more than ever trustful of God & willing his will be one in me.

 

March 21^st. To-day we have not marched. The troops have been busy laying log roads so we can move along. It has rained most all the day. I have did done little else than rest to-day which opportunity offered. I feel well to-day but rather weak. I received to day two letters from you one mailed Feb 27 the other March 4^th. The former letter told me of your leaving school. Will you get your pay? Have you ever got your pay for keeping school up at Martin's Brook? The last letter tells me of Clara's death which I have been long expecting. I wish I had time to write the family a letter of comfort for they have my hearty sympathy. It is late so I must close for this time /

 

March 23. Yesterday & to-day we have marched only a few miles—not more than six I should think. Most every rod of ground has had to be corduroyed with logs before the teams could get along. The soil being of a sandy & swampy character the wheels cut in up to the axle. So the hardest work the boys have to encounter during this march is fatigue-work, a making corduroy roads. To-day we marched only about two hours & the rest of the time was spent very leisurely for active field duty. I found plenty of time yesterday to take a wash all over & to finish reading to-day the two Freeman's I received with the last letters.

 

March 25

Got just time enough to say I am well.

 

Love to All.

           

Your dear Brother John

 

[remark]

 

8/19 89

These log-roads were made by cutting young pine, cutting off the top & the mules of the wagons drawing them to the road. Then men cut logs a little larger than the wagon's width & placed them side by side. It was found nice to do this not only when it was swampy but in many places where it looked safe but was quick sand & the wagons would sink to the hubs as if in a bog. Sometimes the fore wheels would go all right but the hind wheels would break through. When we saw them start to sink we would yell to the driver & he would cut the mules into a jump & [?] get out. I have at such times seen the hubs drag more than a rod in there on hind axle. At 1^st the mules hesitated to go on these logs & when moving the wagon would twitch them hard as its wheels dropped between the logs. But very soon the mules became accustomed to the fact & let the wagon roll up & down & pull back the harnesses & not the mules. I have seen the whole set of six harness play back & forward as the wagon leaned & not twitch a mule. The Rebs were greatly astonished at the amt of road we made at the time. They were not so accustomed to work & less accustomed to skilled work & much less able to endure fatigue & then the North had the advantage which Grant availed himself of & prevailed.

 

            For some years I had symptoms of this attack but for late yrs very little. As I remember I came to myself as we were going into camp.

 

11/3 94 Tunbridge V^t Read part of this letter to GAR Post

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