Sherwood House,                                           

Evansville, Ind. Jan 8, 1864.      

        

My very dear Wife:

                        I wrote you on the 2^d, on board the Steamer New Kentucky, while she was on a sand bar, eight miles above Cairo. I did not get to finish my letter till the Str. Superior, which was pulling to get us off, abandoned the effort and rang her bell to leave. I tucked my unfinished letter in an envelope and handed it to the clerk of the Superior, to mail at Cairo.

 

            Since that time we have been battling with the ice, till to-day. Last night the bulk of the Regiment arrived here, over land, having left the New Kentucky at Mt. Vernon,—twenty miles below here by land and about twice that by water—where she proved unequal to the task of stemming the current in the ice. She had worked herself off the bar with spars, but she was too old to stand the ice. So Col. Mason pressed a small boat,—the Idahoe,—into the service, to bring the sick men and the baggage of the Regiment, amounting to some ten or a dozen wagon loads, and he took the Regiment and marched overland to Evansville. I was detailed to take charge of affairs on the boat, and she arrived yesterday afternoon four miles below this / city, where the ice prevented her from coming further. I sent to town for teams to haul our goods to Evansville, and the Quartermaster sent about a dozen this morning, and brought me an order from Col. Mason detailing me to remain here in charge of the men left behind, and to bring up the goods. I got everything to the city to-day, and we start for Columbus to-morrow, where we will arrive Sunday morning at daylight, if all goes right. The Regiment left here on an extra train this morning.

 

            I am well and hope to find you well next week. I guess I will write more in the morning, if I have time, so I will leave a little space.

 

            Kiss my dear children for Pa. I will soon be home to get bushels of sweet kisses from all of you. Won't that be nice, love?

 

            My regards to friends, and love to you.

                                               

Yours as ever

A.W. M^cCormick

 

Jan 9. Well, we leave in a few minutes for Columbus, via Terre Haute, Indianapolis, Richmond, Dayton and Xenia. I will mail this at Indianapolis, so you may get it a few hours after I get to Columbus.

 

            The Mercury stood 16 degrees below zero yesterday at noon. It is more moderate now. I will write more at Indianapolis if I have time. /

 

Spencer House, Indianapolis, Ind.                 

Jan 10, 1864—10 o'clock P.M.

Well, dearest, we are here and cannot leave till to-morrow morning at half past five. We got here last night half an hour too late to make connections with the Indiana Central, and that road has not sufficient rolling stock to send us through to-day.

 

            There are eight officers and about one hundred men of our Regt here under my charge. Capts. Chandler, Garrett and Morris, and Lieuts. Smithson, Pearce, and Pugh and Dr Wall all got left and are here with me now. Fifty or seventy-five men also got left here, the cars on which the Regt went to Columbus not being sufficient to take them all. The Regiment did not leave here an hour before we arrived here; but it is in Columbus before now, if all went right.

            When we got to Terre Haute yesterday at 3 P.M., we had but a few minutes to change cars, and we had eight or ten wagon loads of baggage to transfer from one car to another. So I ordered out my men, and moved it in haste. Last night we changed it here again, and have everything all snug for a start before day light in the morning—and as we do not change cars again till we reach Columbus, we will have no further trouble on that score.

 

Maj. Stevens left us at Memphis on the 26^th of last month, for Alton. I do not know whether he is in Alton now or Columbus. 

 

            Capt. Sisson and Capts. Lutgen and M^cKitrick went to Columbus last night. Lieut. West went in command of Co K—as Capt. Chandler was left at Evansville, Lt. Fisher at Little Rock—(and Lieut Smith at Cairo—to go and see his wife at Alton). I see that the citizens treated the 66^th and 39^th veterans handsomely, on their arrival in Ohio. You will see by the slip I enclose from the Evansville Journal, that the 77^th got the right kind of treat-ment at Evansville. The people of Terre Haute used the Regiment well, also.

 

            It does a soldier's heart good to meet with a warm greeting on his return from the field. When we find the people kind and hospitable, it makes us feel that we have countrymen worthy to be defended. The effect on the feelings of the soldiers is greater than the bodily comforts received. I hope Marietta will do herself credit when the 77^th veterans arrive.

 

            If I stay in Columbus a day or two, and have an hour of time to spare, I will run out to your brother's. But if I am busy till the boys are ready to start to Marietta, I will go right along. I am exceedingly anxious to get home.

 

            I think things look favorable for the "leaves". Capt. Sisson is not sanguine I believe, and Capt L. gives it up, and says he is going out of the service. I feel sure three-fourths of the officers of the Regt and the men too prefer that I should wear them. Col. Mason has said enough, and has taken nothing back. If he talks right to Gov. Brough, I will be promoted.

 

            I do not know whether we will muster the men out and muster them in again before we go home, or furlough them at once, and muster after the expiration of the 30 days.

 

            You may look for me soon. As ever, dearest

                                                                       

Yours devotedly

A.W. M^cCormick

 

Mrs. Alice J. M^cCormick                                            

SOURCES