Thursday, Aug. 28, 1862

Iuka, Miss.     

 

Dear Brother:

                        I received your letter dated the 22^d, yesterday, and to-day in order to while away the time I will write a few words in reply. I am to-day on guard. The way the guard is managed is this: At 8 o'clock in the morning the guards are all brought together, and we go through the ceremony of mounting guard. This ceremony consists of music, exercise with our arms, and inspection of arms. After mounting guard we are then assigned our post. We are on guard 8 hours out of 24, standing but 2 hours at a time. It is during one of our reliefs that I write you this letter. We have two kinds of guard, "grand" or "picket", and camp guard. In the former we go out / to a distance from camp of a mile or two. This is the most responsible and most dangerous kind of guard. I was out on this guard the very next day after I came here. The camp guard is placed around the stores, officers tents, etc. My post to-day is a very pleasant one,—being by the side of a well of good water, in a cool shady place. We do not come on guard more than about twice a week. We have done very little drilling since we came here. Yesterday we drilled three hours—one hour and a half in the morning, the same at night. I find it rather hard sometimes to while away the time. Writing letters I sometimes find quite a relief.

 

            I am in Mississippi! I can hardly realize it. In the general features of the landscape around here I find nothing very different from that of Ohio. A / plentitude of the "contraband" population however reminds me that I am in "Dixie". That I am in the "land of cotton" I find no special evidences right around here; but on my way from Columbus to Corinth I saw many fields of growing cotton, and I saw vast quantities of the "King" piled up at the Railroad stations.

 

            The fortifications, the pitched tents of the different regiments, the swarming soldiers, the martial array, the sentinels, all these things strongly remind me that I am in a land of war. There were at first 4 Regiments stationed here, but 2 of them the 43^d and 63^d Ohio have moved about 8 miles. It is said, however, that the 63^d is to be back to-day. We are just outside of the town of Iuka, and I have not yet had an opportunity to visit it. To-morrow however, I think I shall get a pass and go over there. Gen Rosecrans / has his head quarters there, and Gen Grant was there a day or two ago. Sam Smith has been detailed from the ranks and is now working in town at the government printing office.

 

            No tenderness is manifested here in the use of secesh property. Fences, boards, corn, peaches, apples, in fact whatever is wanted is taken and applied to our use. All along the line of the railroad between Columbus and Corinth soldiers would come to the cars selling watermelons, peaches, etc., which they had "jayhawked" or "gobbled" as they say here. Forage parties are sent out to procure stores for the Quartermasters Department and they have permission to stow away in their barracks whatever they can carry. They however are not allowed maliciously to destroy things

 

            Jennison's Kansas Jayhawkers were here when I first came. They were out on a scout a few days since, and found two of our pickets shot. One of them was dead and the other badly wounded. Jennison's men thereupon burned over twenty houses in the vicinity. They would go in turn up a bed, apply a match and soon the whole thing would be wrapped in flames. It seems hard, but the general opinion is that it was just. The screams of the terrified women and children would however have sounded far from pleasant in my ears.

 

            In the woods around the camp is heard the busy sound of the ax felling trees that may serve as defence in case of attack. Some 12 or 15 acres of timber has been cut down around here. But this is a mere drop in the bucket in comparison with the amount /

 

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from Columbus to Corinth troops are stationed a distance of over 150 miles. In some places they are regiments strong; in others companies, in others parts of companies. Between Corinth and Huntsville, they are stationed in even much stronger force.

 

            Our Regiment is quite healthy, there being only some 10 or 15 sick in the Hospital. Much of this healthiness is owe to our excellent regulations, no doubt. The 43^d which is encamped just beside us has buried five within two weeks. The 63^d is reduced to 200 or 300 men. No deaths have occurred in our Regiment for some time.

 

            The daily papers are received here in camp regularly 4 days after publication. Their price however is one dime.

 

            There is some talk about our moving from here eight miles farther on, to a place just on the Alabama line. Whether it is anything more than rumor I cannot tell.

 

            Well, what a military letter I have written! Surely I am getting to be a one idea-ed man. Can't help it, however.

 

            Is Merwin at College? If he is tell him to write to me.

 

            Truly your honors are accumulating fast. I am afraid that your shoulders are breaking down beneath such a load of dignity.

 

            How are all the girls? How does Jones get along with them? What is Geo. Turner going to do?

 

            I was very sorry to learn of mother's illness. I sincerely hope that before you receive this she may have entirely recovered. The loss of our mother would be a great blow to us. Give her and Jerusha my love.

 

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Tell Geo. Turner that he cannot do better than come here if he is going into the army as a private. Instead of its being harder on us here than in a new regiment it is much easier. No eight hours a day drilling here. Besides we learn very much quicker from the experience of those around us. I hope that you may get W^m Pfeiffer for a substitute It would be very bad for us both to be from home at once Write me all the little gossip that goes on in our circles It will be interesting to me here Tell the folks in the young-peoples' meeting that I miss them much and I hope that they will not forget to remember me here. /

 

I wish that I could say with as did Mr. Rice upon his return home, that not one of our brethren here was dishonoring his profession. But I cannot. One I am sorry to say frequently profanes the name of his God. I have spoken with him once, and although he acknowledges that he is doing wrong, yet I can see scarcely any effort to mend it. I intend to talk with him again soon. I will mention no name now, but it is not one of our young brethren.

 

            I have received a letter from mother written the 11^th of December, and one from Hiram written the 27^th. Lieut. Smith has not come to the Regiment yet; consequently I have not received those things. Such is the fortune of war.

 

            The Regiment is now away some where, but exactly where I don't know. They have been gone two days. Over half of our company, however, is in camp. It is reported that we are to leave here to-morrow for Memphis, by rail-road. I do not know how true it may be. Direct your letter to Corinth, and it will reach me anywhere. Your Brother George. Write soon

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