Near Mobile Ala

March 31 1865

 

Dear Sister

                                    As time favors I will write a little towards another letter. My last was dated the 29^th and the one preceding that the 25^th. On the evening of the 29^th we had orders to be up next morning at three to support the pickets in case of an attack. We knew from this that something was up, but whether the Rebs or we were to begin new offensive movements none could tell. About 12 o clock at night the picket firing became so heavy it awoke me. The firing increased & I knew the Rebs were nearer our camp. Soon after, the firing became so heavy the whole line was aroused and our Brigade fell in & went out to support the pickets. We of the Q.M.D. had our teams harnessed ready to pull out in case the Rebs should get into camp. Every minute or two a bullet would whiz by us to warn us to lay low. But the Rebs found our pickets too much for them & soon fell back, when the firing was reduced to an occasional shot and our boys came back to camp. There was a great deal of hubbub in our boys getting up & ready for a fight, still not so much as one would naturally suppose. One would be hunting while half asleep for his shoes, another for some other apparel, many were cracking caps on their guns to clean them out, which reminded one of poping corn on a large scale. Several loaded guns were accidently discharged and strange to say none hit anybody. But in, I should think, less than ten minutes, the whole Brigade / was marching out to the pickets. But the shooting having subsided we all turned in & soon were lost in sleep.

 

March 30^th This morning the great topic for conversation was last nights affair. After some inquiry I found that the skirmish was brought on by our side attempting to advance the one part of the line forty paces. As soon as we attempted such advance the Rebs not only boldly resisted it, but undertook to charge & capture a portion of our pickets or rifle-pits. The Rebs from what I can hear were sadly beaten, for our men held the pits & in the morning, although the ground before our pits was fallen woods & it was unsafe poping one's head much above the rifle pits, our boys could count eighteen dead Rebs close on to their works. So far as I could learn only two or three of our side were wounded or killed. One man in our Reg^t fell soon after the boys marched out & from his appearance it was thought he was shot through the lungs, but come to examine him not a mark could be found. The Doctor then concluded he had a fit. Soon after breakfast the poor fellow being still in the same state was taken to the hospital & towards night getting no better it was thought he would die. He was wounded about two years ago, & I presume the sudden start of that evening has disclosed some disease from that wound. To-day the Rebs seemed intent on shelling us in earnest. All day long the shells were bursting among, over & around us. It is strange so few were hurt. No one was touched in our Reg^t, but the Reg^t next to us had four killed & some seven or eight wounded by one shell. I never have been in a place where the shells burst so much & often. / About 3 p.m. it was hurry all around by orders to move camp, draw four days rations, three days forage, fifty rounds of ammunition per man all immediately. So we went to work & dark found us encamped back from our old position about three miles, but it was midnight before all the orders of our Commanders were obeyed. It was quite a relief to be out of hearing of musket balls & pieces of shells, & to roam around more at will & not feel that some Reb missile was about to brush your coat tail. Before retiring we found out the reason of this sudden & unexpected moving of our Division. It was learned by Cavalry from Gen. Steele, who was to start with a force at Pensacola & march for Mobile & meet us near our present position, that owing to some drawback (probably bad roads) he was delayed longer than expected consequently his command had been without food or forage for two days. So every team that could be spared was taken at once, & the wagons filled with rations & forage & our Division ordered to go with it to meet Gen. Steele. Hence we were ordered out three miles on the road the same night ready for a start so soon as the trains were loaded.—March 31^st. This morning our Division might be seen on a pleasant field shaded by pines pulling down & packing up their all for a move. I was about to report to the Col. that the teams were loaded & ready, when, much to the surprise of all, orders came to leave the teams behind. Of course this materially changed the aspect of things—Officers & men then now had to sort out what they could carry on their persons & horses & leave the remainder with the teams. / Of course too, some of the Q.M.D. had to go, & some remain behind. It was decided that the Q.M. Serg^t & I should stay & in my charge about eight men who were not exactly well, & that the Com Serg^t & Carpenter should go. About 8 a.m. the trains came along & the troops started off. Soon after the several Reg^tl teams carrolled togather, & having my desk in shape & it being quiet, I thought to write a little. So I have written & much more than I expected. This quiet, not only from whizzing shells & bullets, but from business, prompts me to write profusely. The day is now half gone. The roar of cannon has been longer & louder than any day of the siege. Our Generals have been making arrangements for several mortars & heavy guns, & I presume to day they are at work. The sounds are like those of heavy ordnance. We are so far from the scene of blood-shed the noise of the musket is but faintly heard. Of the result of to day's strife I know not, but undoubtedly many a man has spilt his life blood. It is sad to see one of the finest days imaginable desecrated by scenes of human strife & bloodshed. But so it is. War, that old & barbarous way of settling dispute, is still in vogue. Man must spill the blood of his brother-man before he can be content to listen to a settlement. May the day soon come when nations shall not learn war any more. Where intelligence triumphs over ignorance, religion over sin, will this happy epoch come.

 

            We will be encouraged at the prospect of a settlement soon of our cruel war, & of my greeting you again & taking my old place at the table; & from this sad experience let us hope for a happy & long peace to our great nation.

 

            The weather to-day here is very much like June in V^t. I presume it blows a hurricane up to your house!

 

Last night for the first time I put up a shelter-tent—or "pup-tent" as the boys say—& slept in it. I enjoyed my rest very much, & got up thinking a shelter-tent in good weather & when on the march & have little or no business to do to be a good institution. You will see a picture of a shelter-tent in the little book I sent to Laura—

 

            Really I have spun a long yard—have written a long letter. /

 

April 1^st—Soon after writing yesterday one of the largest mails we ever received arrived. I certainly thought as I emptied more than a bushel of letters & papers upon the ground for assorting into C^os, that I should have a letter from home, but no, I had to be content with a letter from Jenet Parker, and a "Freeman" in which was a notice of Clara's death. True, I had a business letter or two, but those like our pin money we don't count them. From Cousin J— I learned all were well as usual, and that one of her brothers—George—and Geo. Knapp her brother-in-law had enlisted for one year. Uncle & Aunt were much opposed to the enlistment of the former, as he was but sixteen years old. Bad idea I think also. They joined a new Reg^t, the 50^th, and would have joined the 29^th if we had got a year to serve. It would not have added to my pleasure, as much as it would have increased my care & anxiety, for I should have felt duty bound to render their position as agreeable & safe as possible. Yet I would gladly accept such a charge as in return for their great kindness to me. To-day has been a very beautiful, warm & quiet day. Very little cannon firing, & so far as I can learn, but little firing of any sort. I hear extensive arrangements are being made for the heaviest kind of cannon work, so perhaps to-morrow will be a sad & awful day. I see the Northern papers are sanguine about the capture of Mobile. They reckon upon its fall by the 29^th of March—Such calculators have little idea of the magni- / tude of this job. Up to this date one portion of our Army has not arrived, and a siege which is a week old may with truth be said to have not yet been fully commenced. I should not be surprised if it would be three weeks before we obtained full possession of Mobile & its vicinity, still I think we shall attain it before that time.

 

April 8^th As our mail leaves to day I will send this off. Since writing the above I have joined the Reg^t, which now occupies a part of the line around a little village called Blakely, which the Rebs have fortified. The Reg^t has been and still are with thousands of others laying siege to what may be called one of the defences of Mobile. Our troops advance slowly and cautiously against the Reb Forts by digging, mostly by night, trenches along towards the enemy. Most of the firing is done by the Rebs, and a great deal of it too, and our boys have strangely come off unharmed except in few instances. I have not been around enough to know how the whole work is progressing or what arrangements are being made, but I should think our side was restraining active operations until Gen. Thomas arrived at the rear of the city, so that we can be surer of capturing the whole thing. Deserters come into our lines most every day. As it is most three weeks since I had news from home I am expecting a letter next mail for a certain.

 

Much love to you all—

                                   

Your dear Brother

John

29^th Wisconsin Inf. Vols

1^st Brig. 1^st Div. 13 A.C.

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