March 27 1865           

Near Mobile Ala.

 

Dear Sister Martha,

                                    March 25^th opportunity was given us to send letters & I forwarded one I had written at odd times on the march, barely adding the postscript 'in good health' &c. before sealing the envelope.

 

            In hopes of having now a few leisure & quiet moments, I begin my next epistle. I am in great doubts of having a proper opportunity for writing for I am in circumstances rather too exciting and changeable for such work. Our Army is laying before a Reb. Fort & none can tell how soon the awful signal to advance may come. However I will begin and if cut short by a battle it wont be the first time.

 

March 24^th this Army come out to a point where our boats down the bay could come up & bring in supplies & late papers. It was cheering to come out of these doleful pines to where boats were visible: & as for the first time most of our Corps were togather it was delightful to see how cheer upon cheer arose as one Reg^t passed another. On that day's march I saw what I never saw before, & that was where pines had been tapped for making rosin &c. Most of the forest through which we marched that day had formerly been tapped for rosin. This tapping is done by cutting a large slice out of the tree & at the bottom of / the slice cutting out a little trough so that the sap oozes down the cutting into the little trough. Most all of the road on this day's march was over logs laid side by side, a road made by our Army as the mud could not otherwise be passed over. On the morning of the 25^th we were busy drawing rations and forage & some other little requisites and soon after dinner took up the line of march being nearly the last of the long string of troops. Each side of us to-day marched two rows of men as protection against guerrillas. We travelled as usual through a thick pine forest but the roads were better than any we had experienced before. I forgot to mention in speaking of our march of the 24^th that a band of guerrillas pounced on a part of the train and captured & killed fourteen mules and captured about as many men. Two of our Reg^t happened to be out of their places & along there & were captured.

 

One I think was the small drummer boy of Co B 8/19 89

 

March 26^th Our march to-day was through land altogether different from what we had met. It was quite hilly & of a sandy loam soil, with little clear water brooks between almost every hill. Yet like what we had been over it's trees were pine; & on the whole the country presented the same desolate appearance. Only one or two houses were passed & those of the most forlorn character. About 2 p.m. our advance met Rebel pickets & the rest of the day was spent in skirmishing & the teams were carrolled to-gather in a secure place. / I gathered while marching to-day quite a bouquet of wild flowers I saw I think more than half a dozen new kinds of flowers & some of them very pretty.

 

March 27—to-day we were called up at 4 a.m. & each one was quite certain the day would be immortalized by a fight. The Reb pickets & ours opened the ball by lively shooting at each other. A Rebel Fort or two is about two miles ahead which to day we hope to capture. The opening of the battle progressed as the day advanced. All the morning there was "hurrying in hot haste" of steed & rider. About noon our Army began its rapid advances by a semicircle against the Fort. I went up to see the battle open. The scene of our Army advancing by black & regular lines was extremely grand. I looked on till our forces had drove the Rebs into their fortifications when the contest became so close & the woods so thick I could not see much & be in a safe position and it began raining so I have returned to camp. I am now setting in a wagon & writing while the noise of battle is raging. A man just from the Reg^t says we have met with only one loss that a Corp^l who with others carried the colors. The rain has commenced falling which will make the work doubly severe on the boys. Our boys are within rifle shot of the fort or forts & will probably by to-morrow at fartherest charge upon the Forts by storm—more anon— / March 28^th. Just at night yesterday we moved the teams up to the Reg^t. I found them in a deep ravine about half a mile from one of the Forts. I found it very safe from musket balls as they passed over, but many of the Reb shells would burst over us & the pieces fly around us. But before long it was dark, we bunked in a wagon, was asleep and knew nothing of what transpired till day again.

 

To-day we have have been throwing shells pretty lively into the Forts and made our picket line more secure and beyond that I think our land force has done nothing. Our Generals seem to be waiting the approach of our fleet up the bay. This evening our gunboats are near enough to throw shells into the forts. Our fleet advances up the bay about 200 yards an hour. The torpedoes hinder them very much. It looks now as though our Generals aimed at surrounding the Forts completely & then advancing.

 

(8/19 89 Tour-pe-does as the Reb woman of the neighborhood called them.

 

March 29^th The mail goes out to-day so I will send this although it is only four days since my last started. I have nothing of particular interest to add. We are still battering at the Forts and holding much the same position. Our fleet of gunboats is operating in the bay, & it is reported a large force which came from Vicksburg is laying claim to the city in its rear. This morning I visited our extreme left where our fleet, that of the Rebs & Mobile were in view. I think our success is certain but I should not wonder if our siege lasted many days.

 

Our mail connections is being established so I shall expect a letter soon unless you have delayed writing.

 

My love to you all & my may God ever keep you is the continual prayer of

                                                                       

Your dear Brother & Son John

 

Direct at New Orleans La

SOURCES